Guest worker program gets headaches from flu

YAKIMA, Wash. -- The swine flu outbreak has halted processing of visas for temporary agriculture workers, raising concern about upcoming crop harvests and prompting additional local recruitment efforts.

United States consulates in Mexico have been closed to all visa processing for almost a week and may not reopen until Wednesday at the earliest.

Should the offices reopen Wednesday, the consulates will be faced with a backlog of applications to be processed and a larger number soon to be submitted.

Some employers who want to have workers enter the country in time to start work on June 1 may see those dates pushed back, said Dan Fazio, director of employer services for the Washington State Farm Bureau.

The Farm Bureau is one group that helps employers apply for guest workers. Another is the Washington Growers League.

Fazio said the Farm Bureau works with about 35 employers seeking to enter about 4,000 employees to work in the harvest and other farming tasks through the summer.

"It is a big issue for the farmers affected by it," he said.

Gempler said the growers league expects to have about a dozen contracts for up to 600 workers.

Brendan Monahan, a Yakima attorney who represents employers when issues arise with applications for workers, said the consequences could be serious if the closures and resulting delays drag on very long.

"It could have a potentially catastrophic effect on Washington's agriculture industry if the delay interfered with having labor crews available for harvest," he said. "That remains to be seen."

The next major Valley crop to begin harvest is cherries, sometime in June.

Mike Gempler, growers league executive director, agreed that unless the consulates can ramp up to handle more applications, delays in worker entry are likely.

The H-2A program allows employers to apply to bring in guest workers if the local work force can't meet the need.

Employers must pay a set wage for hourly work, provide room and board and pay transportation costs for those from outside the area.

Use of the guest worker program has been increasing as employers become more familiar with a program that is viewed as cumbersome. It is estimated about 75,000 guest workers entered the United States last year.

One major area employer is Zirkle Fruit Co. of Selah, which has advertised a need for 750 workers. The firm is offering an hourly wage of $8.83.

Two other firms, advertising for a total of nearly 300 workers, are offering the same maximum rate of pay per hour.

He said Farm Bureau is doing more work to try to attract people who are already here to seek employment, including those who left agriculture work for other industries like construction, where the recession has reduced job opportunities.

"We are hopeful there is a big local work force that will participate in harvest this year, since wages have been going up in agriculture more than in other areas," he said. "Farmers are desperate for a legal work force. They are saying we need help."

* David Lester can be reached at 509-577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.