California agricultural leaders are contesting remarks by U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins regarding farm labor and automation. Rollins suggested automation and U.S. citizens on Medicaid could replace current farm laborers: "There will be no amnesty. The mass deportations continue, but in a strategic way. We move the workforce towards automation and 100% American participation, which, again, with 34 million people, able-bodied adults on Medicaid, we should be able to do that fairly quickly."
Industry reactions indicate skepticism. Helen McGrath, a citrus and avocado grower in Ventura County, stated, "I can confidently say that most farmers in the country either laughed out loud or were just deflated by those comments." Many emphasize the dependency on immigrant labor, noting that more than 40% of U.S. crop workers lacked work authorization as of 2022, with California heavily relying on this labor source.
Recent immigration enforcement, as reported by Reuters, has exacerbated shortages, with up to 70% of farmworkers in Ventura County not reporting for work during increased ICE activity. Lisa Tate noted, "If 70% of your workforce doesn't show up, 70% of your crop doesn't get picked." Critics argue that replacing this workforce with Medicaid recipients is impractical, recalling past failed efforts to recruit such workers, as mentioned by Manuel Cunha of the Nisei Farmers League.
President Trump acknowledged labor concerns, proposing a plan that allows undocumented workers to remain under employer sponsorship, stating, "We're going to sort of put the farmers in charge." Teresa Romero of the United Farm Workers warned that inconsistent policies threaten food security.
Source: The Latin Times
