November 2024 - 74

AG LABOR REVIEW
Candid discussions regarding
ag labor dilemmas
I
called a friend in California the other evening. As
soon as he picked up, I could tell that I had roused
him from slumber.
When I asked him what was going on, he told me
that he had been asleep because they were going
to start picking winegrapes that night. He told me
the grapes were coming quick, but the crop wasn't
quite as heavy as last year. Fruit quality, however,
was exceptional.
Overall, he and his wife could have a pretty good
year. But he was worried he would not have enough
workers to pick his Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. His
buyer wouldn't agree to letting him machine harvest
the fruit because the machines weren't as discerning
as human touch.
I knew that their vineyard had never used the H-2A
program for temporary workers, and I asked whether
he had considered that, and although he had it wasn't
necessary in the past. Usually they could recruit and
hire enough locally.
Some previous workers were now in their mid-70's
and had decided it was too much work. Plus, the new
California rule related to ag overtime affects the
workers - they know they wouldn't make as much
money because of being sent home once they reached
the overtime limit.
He had also heard from some of his neighbors that
the cost of the H-2A program was out of control, and
that regulators just keep on piling more requirements
into the program.
Not only did my friend have to pay for the visas,
transportation into and out of the country and three
meals a day or convenient cooking facilities, and a
wage that was nowhere near what the market was -
CopenHaven Farms Nursery
Quality Oregon-Grown
Rootstock & Seedlings For Fruit Trees.
Since 1982, Specializing in
Stop by one of Blueline's location today
and experience excellent customer service.
YAKIMA
1605 E. Mead Ave
509-248-8411
SUNNYSIDE
31501 Yakima Valley Hwy
509-839-2066
GEORGE
100 N. Garnet Way
509-785-2592
PASCO
2080 N. Commercial Ave
509-544-6678
LYNDEN
1933 Front Street
360-815-1559
74 | NOVEMBER 2024
Virus-Free Apple, Cherry, Plum
and Pear Rootstock.
info@copenhavenfarms.com
P.O. Box 6
Gaston, OR 97119
www.copenhavenfarms.com
503-985-7161

http://www.bluelinemfg.com http://www.copenhavenfarms.com

November 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2024

Editor's Letter
Pome Fruit: Industry initiative
Irrigation & Water Management: Maintaining grove water
Tree Fruit: Grove insights
Plums: Plum factors
Great Lakes EXPO News: Juice processing and berry fertilization
Great Lakes EXPO Schedule
40 Under Forty Class of 2024
Soil Health: Cutting chemical fumigation
Labor: Tree fruit worker decision sparks reaction
Tree Fruit Variety Showcase
2025 Fruit & Nut Growers Buyers' Guide
Organic Grower Fall 2024
Fresh Views: A team approach to plant disease management
Farm Market & Agritourism: Choosing the right market channel
Ag Labor Review: Candid discussions regarding ag labor dilemmas
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
November 2024 - 1
November 2024 - 2
November 2024 - 3
November 2024 - Editor's Letter
November 2024 - 5
November 2024 - Pome Fruit: Industry initiative
November 2024 - 7
November 2024 - 8
November 2024 - 9
November 2024 - Irrigation & Water Management: Maintaining grove water
November 2024 - 11
November 2024 - 12
November 2024 - 13
November 2024 - Tree Fruit: Grove insights
November 2024 - 15
November 2024 - 16
November 2024 - 17
November 2024 - Plums: Plum factors
November 2024 - 19
November 2024 - 20
November 2024 - 21
November 2024 - Great Lakes EXPO News: Juice processing and berry fertilization
November 2024 - Great Lakes EXPO Schedule
November 2024 - 24
November 2024 - 40 Under Forty Class of 2024
November 2024 - 26
November 2024 - 27
November 2024 - 28
November 2024 - 29
November 2024 - 30
November 2024 - 31
November 2024 - 32
November 2024 - Soil Health: Cutting chemical fumigation
November 2024 - 34
November 2024 - 35
November 2024 - Labor: Tree fruit worker decision sparks reaction
November 2024 - 37
November 2024 - Tree Fruit Variety Showcase
November 2024 - 39
November 2024 - 40
November 2024 - 41
November 2024 - 42
November 2024 - 2025 Fruit & Nut Growers Buyers' Guide
November 2024 - 44
November 2024 - 45
November 2024 - 46
November 2024 - 47
November 2024 - 48
November 2024 - 49
November 2024 - 50
November 2024 - 51
November 2024 - 52
November 2024 - 53
November 2024 - 54
November 2024 - 55
November 2024 - 56
November 2024 - 57
November 2024 - 58
November 2024 - 59
November 2024 - 60
November 2024 - 61
November 2024 - 62
November 2024 - Organic Grower Fall 2024
November 2024 - 64
November 2024 - 65
November 2024 - 66
November 2024 - 67
November 2024 - Fresh Views: A team approach to plant disease management
November 2024 - 69
November 2024 - 70
November 2024 - 71
November 2024 - Farm Market & Agritourism: Choosing the right market channel
November 2024 - 73
November 2024 - Ag Labor Review: Candid discussions regarding ag labor dilemmas
November 2024 - 75
November 2024 - Classifieds
November 2024 - 77
November 2024 - Advertiser Index
November 2024 - 79
November 2024 - 80
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/2025-fruit-nut-growers-buyers-guide
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-fgn
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/fgn-vgn-40-under-40-class-of-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyers-guide-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyers-guide
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyersguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyersguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/buyersguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/FGN/january-2019
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com