Angie Craig: “Dear Colleague: Earlier this week, we went to the floor to highlight the desperate need for agricultural workers. In our…”

“Dear Colleague: Earlier this week, we went to the floor to highlight the desperate need for agricultural workers. In our colloquy, we discussed how American farmers are suffering, not because they don't have the crops and inventory, but because they don't have the workers to bring their crops to the market. In fact, just this morning, a New York Times front page story proclaimed 'Pickers Are Few, and Growers Blame Congress.' To be honest, we agree with their sentiment. Farmers across this country have every reason to be angry and frustrated. There is simply no reason AgJOBS has not been enacted, and no reason it could not be passed now. The New York Times article is just one of dozens that have been written this summer highlighting the plight our farmers are facing. California is the single largest agriculture state in the nation with over $34 billion in annual revenue and approximately 76,500 farms.”