Walter B. Jones: “Mr. Chairman, my district consists of approximately 18,000 farms. Most of these farms engage in the production of…”

“Mr. Chairman, my district consists of approximately 18,000 farms. Most of these farms engage in the production of cucumbers, sweet potatoes, tobacco, and peanuts, very labor-intensive work. Roughly 80 percent of the produce in my district is harvested by seasonal migrant workers. Throughout our Nation, as in North Carolina, seasonal workers have helped labor-intensive farm commodities to become the fastest growing sector of the U.S. agricultural world. However, farmers in the South are having a very difficult time finding people to do farm work. If it was not for the migrant workers, our farmers would not be able to harvest their crops. We need to guarantee our farmers an ample supply of legal workers. The Pombo- Chambliss amendment creates a workable solution to this important issue. It admits temporary workers by creating a 3-year pilot program with an annual cap on the number of workers admitted. Congress is trying to control illegal immigration, not destroy the work force of the American farmer. Please support the Pombo amendment.”