Farmer: Trump Scared My Workers Away

FARMERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ARE THINKING ABOUT WHAT
THEIR NEXT STEPS WILL BE, NOW THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN
ELECTED, AND HIS TOUGH RHETORIC REGARDING UNDOCUMENTED
IMMIGRATION CONTINUES ON.
CNN RECENTLY SPOKE TO A FARMER IN A BLUE STATE, IN CALIFORNIA,
AND HERE'S WHAT HE HAD TO SAY ABOUT DONALD TRUMP AND THE
IMPACT THAT HE HAS ALREADY HAD ON THIS MAN'S FARM.
TAKE A LOOK.
THE SON OF MEXICAN MIGRANTS COULDN'T GET ENOUGH WORKERS THIS
YEAR.
PROBLEMS THAT ESCALATED AFTER THE ELECTION.
WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT MASS DEPORTATIONS, THAT MAKES ME
NERVOUS.
PUTTING A WALL UP ON THE BORDER, THAT MAKES ME NERVOUS.
THAT AFFECTS YOUR BOTTOM LINE?
IT DOES.
WE CAN GROW THE CROP, BUT THEN WE CAN'T PICK THEM.
THAT WAS PART OF A LARGER SEGMENT THEY DID WHEN THEY SPOKE
TO VOTERS IN BLUE STATES, JUST TO SEE HOW THEY ARE FEELING
ABOUT TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION.
IN BLUE STATES?
IN BLUE STATE SO FARÖ SEGMENT CALLED RED PURPLE AND BLUE, THEY
WANTED TO GET A SENSE OF HOW PEOPLE ARE FEELING IN THE
COUNTRY RIGHT NOW ABOUT TRUMP'S PRESIDENCY.
THAT WAS MOST MEANINGFUL TO ME, BECAUSE IT REALLY HONES IN
ON SETTING UP PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE.
SO THEY THINK, UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS ARE COMING IN AND
TAKING OUR JOBS, WE HAD TO GET TO THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE
UNEMPLOYED U.S. CITIZENS THAT SHOULD BE EMPLOYED IN THOSE
JOBS, BUT WHAT PEOPLE FAIL TO REALIZE, AND I KNOW THIS
ARGUMENT SEEMS RIDICULOUS ON ITS FACE, AMERICANS DON'T WANT
THOSE JOBS.
EVEN IF THE FARMERS RAISE THE WAGE, EVEN IF THEY OFFER
BENEFITS, PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DO THOSE JOBS.
AND I HAVE DATA ON THAT.
THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.
IT HAPPENED DURING OBAMA'S ADMINISTRATION, BECAUSE IF YOU
REMEMBER HE CRACKED DOWN ON IMMIGRANTS PRETTY HARD DURING
THE EARLY PART OF HIS PRESIDENCY, AND IT HIT
FARMERS PRETTY HARD.
SO LET ME READ THIS FOR YOU, IT SAYS, "CHARLMERS R CARR III --"
WE'VE BEEN IN THE FARMING
BUSINESS FOR SEVERAL GENERATIONS
--
HE TOLD LAWMAKERS AT A 2013 HEARING " THAT HE ADVERTISED
2000 JOB OPENINGS FROM 2010 THROUGH 2012,
AND SAID HE WAS PAYING $9.39 AN HOUR, TWO DOLLARS MORE THAN
THE STATE'S MINIMUM WAGE AT THE TIME.
HE HIRED 483
U.S. APPLICANTS, SLIGHTLY THAN A QUARTER OF WHAT HE NEEDED.
109 DIDN'T SHOW UP ON THE FIRST DAY, ANOTHER 321 QUIT.
THE VAST MAJORITY QUIT DURING THE FIRST TWO DAYS.
THE PEACH SEASON IS TOO LONG BY THE WAY.
LIKE THE PLAYOFFS.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING, THE WAY FARMING WORKS, OBVIOUSLY FOR A
LOT OF CROPS, IT'S SEASONAL, SO IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT LABOR
FOR A LONG TIME, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S
NO WORK.
$7.39 WAS THE MINIMUM WAGE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
$7.39.
I LIVED IN SOUTH CAROLINA FOR FIVE YEARS, YOU DON'T NEED A LOT
OF MONEY BUT YOU NEED A LOT MORE THAN $7.39 AN HOUR.
AND SOME GUY NAMED CHALMERS R CARR III, THE SOUTH CAROLINA
PEACH GIANT, HE AND BEATRICE CARR, HIS LOVELY BRIDE, THEY CAN
AFFORD MORE THAN $7.39 AN HOUR.
AND HE DID, HE PAID $9.39.
LET'S SAY YOU TAKE IT UP TO $11
AN HOUR, I STILL DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN FILL THE FIELD.
THOSE JOBS ARE BEING FILLED, AND I ASSUME, HIS POINT IS THAT
HE COULD HAVE FILLED THEM WITH IMMIGRANTS, RIGHT?
AND EVEN AS TRUMP WAS BEGINNING HIS ANTI-IMMIGRANT RHETORIC,
THAT WAS THE BIG SECRET: THIS COUNTRY, THE ENGINE OF SO MUCH
OF WHAT DRIVES THIS COUNTRY, IS REALLY FUELED BY ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANTS; PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE IN SOME STATUS THAT IS NOT
OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED AS LEGAL, AND THE AGRICULTURAL
INTERESTS ARE AT THE TOP OF THE LISTS.
WE ARE RIGHT TO FOCUS ON THEM, BUT YOU CAN EXTEND AND
BROADEN THAT FOCUS TO RESTAURANTS.
I MEAN, EVEN HIGH-END RESTAURANTS, AND THE
CLOTHING INDUSTRY.
IT GOES ACROSS INDUSTRIES.
THIS IS A COUNTRY THAT HAS SUCKED UP THAT IMMIGRATION.
AND ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO MAKE CLEAR IS THAT, LOOK, A LOT
OF THESE FARMERS ARE NOT MULTIMILLIONAIRES,
MULTI-BILLIONAIRES, A LOT OF FARMS BARELY MAKE ENDS MEET, AND
SO IT'S NOT AS IF WE ARE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FAST
FOOD INDUSTRY, WHERE YOU HAVE THESE FAST FOOD GIANTS BRINGING
IN BILLIONS IN REVENUE EVERY SINGLE YEAR, WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT FARMERS, WHO WANT TO INCREASE THE WAGES, AND THEY
INCREASE THE WAGES AS MUCH AS THEY CAN, AND IT STILL DOESN'T
ATTRACT THE U.S. CITIZENS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ATTRACT.
THERE ARE MORE EXAMPLES.
WHEN NATIVE UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE ARE REFERRED TO AS NCGA,
THEY ARE ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION HIRED.
BETWEEN 1998 AND 2011, 97% OF REFERRED APPLICANTS WERE
HIRED, BUT THEY DON'T TEND TO
LAST.
THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
SO, ONE FARMER SAYS, "MEXICAN WORKERS ARE FAR LIKELIER TO
STICK THROUGH THE SEASON THAN NATIVE-BORN WORKERS.
ABOUT 90% WERE STILL WORKING FIVE MONTHS ALONG, COMPARED
TO LESS THAN 10% OF NATIVE-BORN WORKERS."
I APOLOGIZE, THAT'S NOT FROM A FARMER, THAT'S FROM THE
WASHINGTON POST.
ALSO, "SOME FARMERS ARE EVEN GIVING LABORERS BENEFITS
NORMALLY RESERVED FOR WHITE-COLLAR PROFESSIONALS, LIKE
401(K), HEALTH INSURANCE, SUBSIDIZED HOUSING AND
PROFIT-SHARING BONUSES.
FULL TIMERS AT SILVERADO FARMING, FOR EXAMPLE, GET
MOST OF THOSE SWEETENERS,
+10 VACATION DAYS AT EIGHT PAID HOLIDAYS.
9 AND 10 AGRICULTURAL WORKERS IN CALIFORNIA ARE STILL
FOREIGN-BORN, AND ALMOST HALF OF THEM ARE UNDOCUMENTED
ACCORDING TO A FEDERAL SURVEY.
IT'S NOT ABOUT WAGES OR BENEFITS, FARMERS ARE DOING
WHAT THEY CAN TO ATTRACT PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE LEGALLY, BECAUSE
THEY DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH ANY TYPE OF PENALTY FOR EMPLOYEE
UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS, AND THEY JUST CAN'T DO IT.
IT'S NOT WORKING.
IT'S A MUCH MORE OBLIGATED AND NUANCED ISSUE THAN THE RIGHT ñ
IT'S A MUCH MORE COMPLICATED ISSUE THAN THE RIGHT WOULD
WANT YOU TO BELIEVE.
I KNOW PEOPLE WANT SIMPLE ANSWERS TO COMPLEX
PROBLEMS, BUT THIS REQUIRES A REAL SOLUTION.
A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION.
NOT THIS, WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE OUR BORDERS, KICK EVERYONE
OUT, BUILD A BIG BEAUTIFUL WALL.
THAT'S NOT A SOLUTION.
1ST OF ALL, I LOVE THAT IT SEEMED LIKE, EVEN OFFERED
THESE PEOPLE HEALTH INSURANCE AND VACATION DAYS, AND
PROFIT-SHARING AND RETIREMENT, I MEAN THEY ARE BARELY EVEN
PEOPLE WE OFFERED IT TO.
THEY SHOULD HAVE THAT.
EVERY AMERICAN WORKER SHOULD HAVE THAT.
THAT'S NOT A ñ GOOD FOR THEM FOR OFFERING IT, BUT THEY
SHOULD OFFER IT NO MATTER WHAT.
THEY ALREADY SHOULD HAVE OFFERED IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHY FARMWORKERS ARE SUDDENLY NOW EXEMPT FROM THAT.
I GET IT, SMALL FARMS ñ
MOST AMERICANS ARE EXEMPT FROM THAT.
TRUE.
SO I DON'T THINK THIS IS A RADICAL STATEMENT.
THE REASON THE RIGHT IS AGAINST ñ HAS RAILED AGAINST
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IS BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO SCARE US.
SIMPLY, YOU CAN SAY, AS ALWAYS, THEY SCARE US WITH TERRORISTS.
AS THEY SAY, WE OPEN THE BORDERS, ISIS WILL SNEAK IN AND
BLOW STUFF UP, OR AS EVIDENCED BY DONALD TRUMP'S CALLOUS AND
HUMILIATING TO AN ENTIRE RACE OF PEOPLE, THAT WHEN HE EXPLOITS,
LOOK AT THESE PEOPLE WHOSE CHILD WAS KILLED BY AN ILLEGAL
IMMIGRANT.
THEY ARE SUGGESTING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO COME IN, RAPE AND
KILL YOUR DAUGHTERS, KILL, MURDER, OR BE ISIS MEMBERS.
SO THAT'S WHAT IT IS, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THE WORKER.
THEY ACTUALLY WANT THOSE FARMS, THEY WANT WORKERS.
WHEEL BUSINESS WANTS TO US WHAT THOSE WORKERS.
THEY CAN, BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO GIVE THEM HEALTH
INSURANCE, PROFIT-SHARING, VACATION DAYS AND RETIREMENT.
THAT'S GREAT.
I CAN PAY THEM $7.39
IN NORTH CAROLINA, WHATEVER THE MINIMUM WAGES NOW.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS NOT A PROBLEM IN AMERICA.
IT'S NOT AN ISSUE, AND WE SHOULD NOT BE TALKING ABOUT IT, IT
IS NOT IMPORTANT.
I GET IT, THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO WILL GET ON MY
TWITTER HANDLE AND SAY I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT,
AND THEY ARE NOT WRONG, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT,
BECAUSE THERE ARE PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE IT IS RELEVANT.
I'M SURE IF YOU LIVE IN A BORDER TOWN IT HAS PROBABLY AFFECTED
YOU IN SOME WAY, AND IT HAS PROBABLY DISAPPOINTED YOU THAT
THERE ARE A BUNCH OF IMMIGRANT KIDS AT YOUR SCHOOLS WHO DON'T
SPEAK ENGLISH, AND I GET IT, THAT IS A COMMUNITY THAT HAS TO
DEAL WITH A MESH OF CULTURES THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER, AND
THAT COMMUNITY MIGHT BE ILL-EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH THAT,
BUT AS A GENERAL RULE, IN AMERICA IT IS NOT A PROBLEM.
PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING HERE ARE COMING HERE BECAUSE THEY
GOT DOWN LOVE AMERICA, THEY CERTAINLY LIKE IT MORE THAN
WHERE THEY CAME FROM, AND THEY ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY WANT
TO WORK.
IS NOT A PROBLEM, WE SHOULD NOT BE TALKING ABOUT IT, IT IS
A RELEVANT.
THEY ARE HERE, WE HAVE A ñ WE HAVE ICE, I KNOW WE GOT TO GO,
AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE A NAME ICE, YOU ARE NOT
ALLOWED TO BE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND GET A COOL NAME, BECAUSE IT
MADE YOU FEEL LIKE A BAD ASS AND YOU CAN ACT LIKE A BAD ASS.
LAW ENFORCEMENT IS A SERIOUS JOB, YOU HAVE A NAME LIKE
THE FBI, NOT ICE.
SO, I GET IT, WE CAN HAVE IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS
ENFORCEMENT, AND WHEN THEY FIND SOMEONE ILLEGAL WHO HAS
COMMITTED A CRIME, THEY CAN ROLL THEM OUT.
THAT'S FINE.
BUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION IS NOT A PROBLEM, BASICALLY WE HAVE
EXPLOITED THESE PEOPLE AS THEY HAVE BEEN A BOON TO OUR ECONOMY
AND LET US EAT PEACH PIE.
THAT'S RIGHT.
AND HAVE CONTRIBUTED TAXES.
ENORMOUSLY.
FAR MORE IN THEN THEY TAKE OUT.
THEY ARE WORKING.

Farmer: Trump Scared My Workers Away

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