Wages rise on California farms. Americans still don’t want the job

[PLC1]

Wages rise on California farms. Americans still don’t want the job

Solorio is one of a growing number of agricultural businessmen who say they face an urgent shortage of workers. The flow of labor began drying up when President Obama tightened the border. Now President Trump is promising to deport more people, raid more companies and build a wall on the southern border.

But the raises and new perks have not tempted native-born Americans to leave their day jobs for the fields. Nine in 10 agriculture workers in California are still foreign born, and more than half are undocumented, according to a federal survey.

It's time to revisit the issue of illegal workers from Mexico and points south, but, of course, that won't happen.

 

[The Scotsman]

Growers who can’t raise wages are losing their employees and dealing with it by mechanizing, downsizing or switching to less labor-intensive crops.

Market forces at work

 

[dogtowner]

Market forces at work

Yup.
If there truly are not enough then expand the number of legal migrant ag workers. If some owners can't make money, that's not a labor problem.

 

[The Scotsman]

If some owners can't make money, that's not a labor problem.

It kind of touches on an earlier thread we were discussing about mechanisation - it just needs the right incentive and catalyst I guess.

 

[dogtowner]

It kind of touches on an earlier thread we were discussing about mechanisation - it just needs the right incentive and catalyst I guess.

But there are owners who make money employing legal migrant ag workers.
So if the others can't how do they afford machines ?
More to this than meets the eye.

 

[Old_Trapper70]

But there are owners who make money employing legal migrant ag workers.
So if the others can't how do they afford machines ?
More to this than meets the eye.

Get ready to pay more for your veggies then, and don't whine when you do.

However, there are two points to this story that are being overlooked. The first one is:

"Today, farmworkers in the state earn about $30,000 a year if they work full time — about half the overall average pay in California. Most work fewer hours." This also begs the question what is "full time"?

Then there is this:

"But the raises and new perks have not tempted native-born Americans to leave their day jobs for the fields."

Why quit a job to go work in the fields for what appears to be equal pay, or less pay?

 

[The Scotsman]

So if the others can't how do they afford machines ?

Same as they do here which is hire or lease the equipment or part-ownership if there are enough growers that require similar machinery.

 

[dogtowner]

Same as they do here which is hire or lease the equipment or part-ownership if there are enough growers that require similar machinery.

Still takes money
My point is these folks likely prefer losing the bother. Machines don't complain.

 

[The Scotsman]

Still takes money

Speculate to accumulate. USDA assist in things like that don't they?

 

[dogtowner]

Speculate to accumulate. USDA assist in things like that don't they?

I would hope not but they probably do.
Their job is to insure a safe food chain.

 

[The Scotsman]

I would hope not but they probably do.

Seems they do... https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/farm-loan-programs/farm-operating-loans/index

 

[Old_Trapper70]

Still takes money
My point is these folks likely prefer losing the bother. Machines don't complain.

Machines can't pick everything, and it still takes people to inspect, separate, and package goods.

 

[The Scotsman]

Machines can't pick everything, and it still takes people to inspect, separate, and package goods.

then they switch to less labour intensive crops

 

[dogtowner]

then they switch to less labour intensive crops

You see the trend...

 

[Old_Trapper70]

then they switch to less labour intensive crops

And if there is no market for those crops?