(Complicated issue – since many of the migrant workers used to come up to Ohio from Texas, not just from Mexico. Resistance by big growers to paying labor more or agreeing to representation by unions is a big part of problem, as well. Spin, politics, and not wanting to pay more for labor or agree to union representation kill off jobs and income to Ohio.)
“The significance of what’s happened in Oak Harbor needs to be understood; it’s affecting more than just the Latino population.”
Those 500 migrant farm workers usually employed by Charles Jones earn a combined annual payroll of about $2.6 million, Mr. Velasquez said. A significant portion of that income is spent locally on food, clothing, gas, and big ticket items like new vehicles. Restaurants, grocery stores, laundry facilities, gas stations will all lose business, he said.
Growers annually spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on seeds and other materials and products, which generates income for businesses and sales income tax, revenue that will be missing this year, Mr. Velasquez said.
Many northwest Ohio restaurants and grocery stores have contracts to purchase tomatoes from Mr. Jones, Mr. Velasquez said. That means these businesses will have to have their tomatoes trucked in from other states instead of grown in Ohio this year, he said.
“This will be a significant hit to the local economy, particularly, Oak Harbor, Fremont, and Woodville,” Mr. Velasquez said. “It’s not just the grower and farm workers who feel the repercussions.”
Mr. Velasquez said he did not know specifically how much money Mr. Jones would lose from not growing tomatoes this year. He would also not estimate the possible financial impact to the local economy.
Justin Darisse, vice president of communications for the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, said as a rule-of-thumb, the presence of each farm worker supports two to three additional jobs in a community.
The U.S. Senate is debating an immigration reform bill that would allow growers to hire more guest workers — 122,000 per year for the next three years and up to 337,000 by 2020
via Big tomato grower shuts down this year – Toledo Blade.
You must be logged in to post a comment.