$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')hort on Labor, Farmers in U.S. Shift to Mexico
...A sense of crisis prevails among American farmers who rely on immigrant laborers, more so since immigration legislation in the United States Senate failed in June and the authorities announced a crackdown on employers of illegal immigrants. An increasing number of farmers have been testing the alternative of raising crops across the border where there is a stable labor supply, growers and lawmakers in the United States and Mexico said...
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US Farmers Emigrate to Mexico
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Of a thousand burning bridges
Sifting through the ashes every day
What we thought would never end
Now is nothing more than a memory
The way things were before
I lost my way" - OCMS
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smallpoxgirl - Expert
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Re: US Farmers Emigrate to Mexico
by RedStateGreen » Wed 09 Apr 2008, 23:31:35
I've been sitting here trying to figure out if this is good or bad. I should have seen this coming but it honestly surprised me to read it.
This is good in that food's not rotting in the fields while farmers try to find workers to pick it.
It's bad in that it's just one more outsourcing ... although it's not a big secret most farm workers are migrants anyways, not Americans.
One thing that is bad is that unless you live on the border, the shipping costs are going to be just that much more to get the food to the customers north of the border, which means higher food prices.
We just shoot ourselves in the foot over and over, don't we?
This is good in that food's not rotting in the fields while farmers try to find workers to pick it.
It's bad in that it's just one more outsourcing ... although it's not a big secret most farm workers are migrants anyways, not Americans.
One thing that is bad is that unless you live on the border, the shipping costs are going to be just that much more to get the food to the customers north of the border, which means higher food prices.
We just shoot ourselves in the foot over and over, don't we?
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('efarmer', '&')quot;Taste the sizzling fury of fajita skillet death you marauding zombie goon!"
First thing to ask: Cui bono?
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Re: US Farmers Emigrate to Mexico
by manu » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 02:23:22
Another reason to wake up and grow your own food!
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Re: US Farmers Emigrate to Mexico
by Tyler_JC » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 02:42:07
Seems like the right time to invent the John Deere tractor of fruit/vegetable picking.
The South figured out a way to pick cotton without slaves, we can figure out a way to pick cucumbers without migrant workers.
Nobody bothered to build the machines when farm workers cost $4 an hour but now that farm wages will be forced up, the game changes.
If we continue to make farm labor more expense (scare off the illegals), farmers will be forced to invest in machinery to replace them.
It sounds like we are reaching that point.
The South figured out a way to pick cotton without slaves, we can figure out a way to pick cucumbers without migrant workers.
Nobody bothered to build the machines when farm workers cost $4 an hour but now that farm wages will be forced up, the game changes.
If we continue to make farm labor more expense (scare off the illegals), farmers will be forced to invest in machinery to replace them.
It sounds like we are reaching that point.
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Re: US Farmers Emigrate to Mexico
by smallpoxgirl » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 02:48:10
I'm sure Monsanto will be happy to genetically engineer fruit and vegetables with the consistency of tire rubber so they aren't damaged by your machine Tyler. It'll be great for 5 years until we can't afford the diesel fuel for it.
"We were standing on the edges
Of a thousand burning bridges
Sifting through the ashes every day
What we thought would never end
Now is nothing more than a memory
The way things were before
I lost my way" - OCMS
Of a thousand burning bridges
Sifting through the ashes every day
What we thought would never end
Now is nothing more than a memory
The way things were before
I lost my way" - OCMS
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Re: US Farmers Emigrate to Mexico
by manu » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 02:53:51
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('smallpoxgirl', 'I')'m sure Monsanto will be happy to genetically engineer fruit and vegetables with the consistency of tire rubber so they aren't damaged by your machine Tyler. It'll be great for 5 years until we can't afford the diesel fuel for it.
Funny.
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Re: US Farmers Emigrate to Mexico
by Tyler_JC » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 03:15:28
Who needs migrant workers when these machines can shake the orange tree and scoop up the oranges?
I think the farming lobby might be able to score some government subsidized fuel but that's obviously not a long term solution.
Maybe these things could be electrified? We'll find out soon enough.
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Re: US Farmers Emigrate to Mexico
by mos6507 » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 03:22:07
Relying on temporarily (i.e. soon to be deported) cheap labor is just as unsustainable as relying on temporarily cheap oil.
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Re: US Farmers Emigrate to Mexico
by manu » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 03:52:14
The solution is to get up off your ass and go pick your own fruit. Oh, you live in a big city and its a long way to the country. Too bad, I told you to get out long ago.
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Re: US Farmers Emigrate to Mexico
by nocar » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 08:34:03
In my vocabulary, those are agrobusinesses emigrating, not farmers.
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Re: US Farmers Emigrate to Mexico
by Ferretlover » Thu 10 Apr 2008, 10:26:12
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RedStateGreen', 'T')his is good in that food's not rotting in the fields while farmers try to find workers to pick it.{/quote]
Rotting food won't be a problem when food is scarce!
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RedStateGreen', 'O')ne thing that is bad is that unless you live on the border, the shipping costs are going to be just that much more to get the food to the customers north of the border, which means higher food prices.
Rotting food won't be a problem when food is scarce!$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RedStateGreen', 'O')ne thing that is bad is that unless you live on the border, the shipping costs are going to be just that much more to get the food to the customers north of the border, which means higher food prices.
HHHmmm.. Guess all those predicting that it will be easier to survive in a city are...... WRONG
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('RedStateGreen', 'W')e just shoot ourselves in the foot over and over, don't we?
And, using semi-automatic weapons to boot!
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