b'Ag Labor Reform Never More Criticalby Kam Quarles, NPC Executive Vice President and CEOMost Americans have likely seen the foreignguestworkershelpplantbumperstickerslogan,Nofarms. and pick fruit and vegetables eachNo food. But few are aware of the year. Even when the system is work-less catchy reality: No foreign farm ing its most efficiently in processingworkers. A whole lot less food. It H-2A visas, fewer workers are avail-doesnt roll off the tongue but its a able than is needed by the industry.reality that growers have lived with Unfortunately,nowwiththepan-for years. The pressure is particularly demic slowing things down, manyacute for those in the specialty crop inthespecialtycropindustryareindustry especially during planting reaching panic mode.and harvesting seasons.Even though the State DepartmentAsthecurrentCOVID-19-induced hasrelaxedrulesallowingittointernationalshutdownmoves processvisasfaster,companiesarefrom days into weeks and potential- still having difficulties getting work-lyintomonths,Americancon- ers they need on time. In the highlysumers are recognizing what grow- perishable fruit and vegetable indus-NPCers have long known: the nation is try, delays of even a few days can bedependentonforeignlabortoget damagingtooperationswhoarefood grown on our nations farms to counting on workers show up dur-ourgrocerystoresand,eventually, inganarrowwindowtoplantorMessageonto our plates.harvest.Whenthatwindowismissed, the impact can last an entireWith food insecurity at an all-time year.high and people taking risks even toventureouttostores,itisheart- Whilethepandemichasreducedbreaking to read about fields being the flow of foreign workers into theplowed under just because we dont UnitedStatestothedetrimentofhave the labor to pick the fruits and individualoperationsandcon-vegetables ready for harvest. Should sumers alike, it has served to bringthecurrentpandemicstretchinto nationalattentiontotheongoingthe Fall, growers could face a food labor shortage faced by the agricul-crisisunparalleledinournations turecommunity.Itmakesgreathistory and stories about a lost har- sensethatweshouldtakestrongvests could become the new normal.action, both in the short and longterm to make sure this labor force isIn the United States, nearly 250,000 secure.8 POTATO GROWER MAY/JUNE 2020'