USApple Leader Speaks At Congressional Briefing On Agriculture Labor Crisis

FALLS CHURCH, VA – Virginia apple grower and USApple leader, Phil Glaize of Glaize Apples spoke to key U.S. House of Representatives staffers in Washington, D.C. during a Congressional briefing hosted by the Agriculture Workforce Coalition titled, “Agriculture’s Labor Crisis.”

Attended by 40 staffers, Glaize shared his personal experience and challenges securing labor, both in and out of the H2-A program. He called on Congress to address labor reform and pass a new guest worker program that provides reliable access to a legal workforce.

“When my grandfather founded the business in 1921, apple growing was very different what it is today,” said Glaize during the briefing. “However, nothing has changed the fundamental fact that apples still need to be manually pruned and hand-picked. Many of our new growing practices have been driven by the need to facilitate picking and pruning. The work is physically demanding and it is temporary. It is also highly skilled. If each apple is not picked correctly, the fruit can become bruised, damaged and less marketable.”

“My experience is typical for apple growers across the country,” Glaize continued. “This issue more than anything else, unites east and west, large and small operations. From growers in New England who may only need ten harvest workers to those in Washington state that need 1,000 plus at peak, the fear that there will not be an adequate labor force is what keeps me and my fellow growers up at night.”

Glaize went on to discuss the delays and current limitations in the H-2A program. “The infrastructure is not there to support the current program, let alone the five to ten-fold increase that would occur if everyone were to shift to H-2A at once. That is why it is imperative that Congress reform—or better yet replace—the program before enacting enforcement legislation such as mandatory e-verify.”

Closing his remarks with concerns about the future of his business, Glaize said, “It is an exciting time to be an apple grower and I am proud that my sons Philip and David, the fourth generation, have returned home and are working with me. But we have to get the labor situation figured out. If we don’t I won’t have a business to pass to the next generation and the many people we employ year round will be forced to look for work elsewhere.”

USApple is a member of the Agriculture Workforce Coalition, an organization that represents America’s farmers, ranchers and growers and their shared interest in a secure, reliable and legal workforce.

About The U.S. Apple Association

U.S. Apple Association is the national trade association representing all segments of the apple industry. Members include 40 state and regional associations representing the 7,500 apple growers throughout the country, as well as more than 400 individual firms involved in the apple business. More information on the organization is available at USApple.org.

About the Agriculture Workforce Coalition

The Agriculture Workforce Coalition (AWC) brings together organizations representing the diverse needs of agricultural employers and serves as the unified voice of agriculture in the effort to ensure that America’s farmers, ranchers and growers have access to a stable and secure workforce. For more information, go to http://www.agworkforcecoalition.org.

Source: U.S. Apple Association