This report is in response to House Joint Resolution No. 300 of the 1989 General Assembly, which requested the Department of Labor and Industry and the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to study the problems of obtaining farm labor in the Commonwealth. (Appendix A) In consultation with the Virginia Employment Commission, Governor's Employment and Training Department, Departments of Social Services, Corrections, and Economic Development, the study examined:

1. the need for farm labor;
2. potential sources of meeting the need for supplying agriculture labor; and
3. recommendations that could assist farmers in obtaining a readily available supply of labor while providing benefits and opportunities for unemployed workers.

The study committee also sought advice and input from the Virginia Sheriffs' Association and Virginia Farm Bureau.

Nationally, the demand for hand-harvested fresh fruits and vegetables has increased thereby increasing the need for larger numbers of temporary harvest employees. More than half of the jobs on farms are temporary or seasonal, dictated by the very nature of the growing season. Most jobs are in relatively isolated areas, often a considerable distance from population centers, not readily accessible to the general job market.

Agriculture, in this country, employs some 4.5 million people of which more than two million are hired workers. Of the 87,000 workers on Virginia farms in 1980, 60,000 were farmers and unpaid family members and 27,000 were hired workers and paid family members. When local labor is not available for seasonal employment, growers have relied upon migrant workers. Growers may utilize several methods: employment of a crew leader who provides the workers; participate in the federal-state Job Service System operated by the Virginia Employment Commission; or obtain certification for foreign workers through the U.S. Department of Labor and Immigration and Naturalization Service H-2A program.

The Federal Immigration and Reform Control Act causes concern over the future availability of agricultural workers in Virginia. Although actual data may not be available for the 1990 harvest season, the initial indicators do not support this premise. However, this report should provide a foundation for future action should the final results prove an agricultural labor shortage does, in fact, exist.

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This report has attempted to identify potential sources of labor which could augment an agricultural labor shortage. It has done this by examining the various entitlement programs and used the most current statistical data as a basis for providing estimates on the supply side. On the needs side, this report analyzes survey results, current employment data, and usual manpower needs by crop and acreage. Some general findings and recommendations are:

• The use of any substantial number of Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) and Food Stamp recipients would not provide a significant pool of temporary labor considering the State's policy and efforts to assist these recipients in obtaining employment that will allow them to leave and remain off the welfare rolls. The skills training received from picking fruit and vegetables will not prepare them for obtaining full-time jobs in other occupations.

• Individuals who enroll in JTPA are interested in skill training for occupations which are stable, provide benefits and have the potential for advancement. Most participants do not have access to transportation and a majority are residents of metropolitan areas.

• Most DOC inmates are from urban areas and will return to employment in urban areas. Farm work does not provide work experience or training that will be of long term benefit to the offender. A number of the DOC inmates will not be medically able to perform farm labor. The DOC Institutions have critical labor needs in such areas as grounds upkeep, sewage and wastewater treatment plants, maintenance programs and agribusiness programs.

• Interest for an agricultural work release program has been expressed by some local sheriffs. An estimate of the potential supply, however, indicates relatively few could be available to meet growers' needs. And, many of these are not in localities in which there appears to be a need for farm workers.

• The VEC reports an increase in the requests and certification of foreign agricultural workers under the H-2A program. Additionally, in 1989, more growers have been inquiring about the H-2A program and, although most of these growers eventually met their needs with domestic labor, this may not be possible in future years. It is anticipated that there will be an increase in H-2A activity.

At the present time, it does not appear that growers are experiencing unmet labor needs, nor are there sufficient unemployed individuals who could benefit from agricultural work. There are, however, several actions that could be taken which could be beneficial in preparing for future shortages and provide a work experience for some individuals. These include:

• Establish a pilot program in an area where specific growers' needs for local agricultural workers can be obtained from the several labor sources identified in this study.

• A study of the feasibility of a state-operated system that could link Virginia's agricultural employers whose seasonal employment needs may compliment other states' agricultural employers' available workers.

• Development of a summer youth-in-agriculture program in connection with existing state youth programs to provide an optional work experience for urban and rural youth.