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Tulare County Farms See Labor Shortage – Could See Citrus Pest Restrictions Lifted

Restricted Zone For Citrus Pest in Tulare County Could Be Lifted
Restricted movement of citrus fruit and citrus plants out of 2 five mile zones in Tulare County as the result of an invasive pest could be lifted next month. The Asian citrus psyllid threatens citrus crops because it can carry a disease that kills trees.The pest – but not the disease – has been found in Tulare County, leading to restrictions on fruit grown near where the insects were found last year. For example, farmers within the restricted zones must take extra steps to ensure no leaves travel with their fruit, a costly business.
Now six months after the 3 finds, Tulare County Ag Commissioner Marylin Kinoshita anticipates CDFA will lift the restrictions as of the third week of June. The bottom line and some very good news – no new finds of the insect despite plenty of traps out there. The theory is that the psyllid finds may have been random hitchhikers and not an indication of a full infestation like they have in Florida.Worse,Florida has the disease the insect carries Citrus Greening – that has cost Florida’s economy $4.5 billion and 8,000 jobs. Citrus is this county’s number 2 crop.

 Tulare County Farmers Report Labor Shortfall
Ag Commissioner Marylin Kinoshita says farmers here are complaining this season about short crews showing up at picking time echoing a theme heard in other parts of the state. Kinoshita says she heard workers are choosing to go to Oregon and Washington to pick because the pay is better.
Tulare County Farm Bureau president Steve Godlin suggests the need for legislation. ”In an online survey conducted by the California Farm Bureau last year, California farmers and ranchers described continuing problems in finding enough people to take on-farm jobs. Nearly two-thirds of the farmers who responded to the survey described significant problems hiring enough employees.”
He adds that” reform of immigration laws should secure our borders and allow immigrants who are contributing to our communities to work in farming.”
This week the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee approved a massive immigration reform bill, voting to send it to the entire Senate for debate.
A recent paper printed in a Giannini Foundation ag econ newsletter has the provocative title “Mexicans Are leaving Farm Work” and offers that there will be no more farm labor abundance for US fruit and vegetable farms.

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