Washington, DC – Prominent labor advocates and North Carolina leaders will release a new summary report this Wednesday detailing the impact of an agricultural jobs bill on North Carolina’s economy and job growth.  The call comes as leaders in Washington consider taking steps forward on immigration reform.

The farm worker population of the United States is overwhelmingly immigrant, with about 85 percent of workers born outside of the United States. Today, the vast majority of farm workers are unauthorized, according to government statistics.  The report outlines the economic importance of the farming industry in North Carolina, the critical role farm workers play in sustaining the state’s diverse farm economy, and the off-farm but farm dependent jobs that will be secured if Congress acts to address the farm labor crisis.  

Speakers on the call will urge Congress to enact legislation that would improve the existing but little-used H-2A seasonal worker program, and give skilled but unauthorized farm laborers working on U.S. farms the chance to earn legal status so they can continue to help farmers feed the American people.

WHO:               Larry Wooten, President, North Carolina Farm Bureau
                        Baldemar Velasquez, President, Farm Labor Organizing Committee
                        Rob Williams, counsel to the United Farm Workers
                        Craig Regelbrugge, co-chair, Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform

WHAT:            Farm Leaders Join Labor Advocates to Release Report on the Importance of Federal Agricultural Jobs Legislation to North Carolina’s Economy and Job Growth
 
WHEN:            WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2010, 2:00 PM ET

Click to hear audio of press conference

Click for Handout #1: How Congress Can Protect North Carolina Jobs and the Economy

Click for Handout #2: Washington Update - Addressing the Farm Labor Issue Means Job Creation