Sheep producers are concerned that a rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor regarding special provisions for open-range livestock herders through the H-2A visa program could make open-range operations unviable. Click here for the full story
Longshoremen are blaming port congestion on container terminal operators but have not decided whether to let federal mediators participate in labor contract negotiations. Click here for the full story
If the escalating dispute between longshoremen and container terminal operators leads to a shutdown of West Coast ports, the federal government has the power to temporarily re-open them. Click here for the full story
Longshoremen are reaching out to farmers to try to gain support for their position in a labor dispute with several Northwest grain handlers. They've also picketed grain elevators owned by the handlers. Click here for the full story
An insurance expert says upcoming health care reforms could lead farmers to drop coverage of their workers.
Farmers who aren't directly subject to national health care reforms for employees may still end up with higher labor costs from the overhaul, experts say.
The United Farm Workers and several ag organizations are backing a comprehensive immigration reform bill introduced in the Senate, saying its provisions would ensure a legal, stable agricultural workforce.
This podcast is sponsored by Western Innovators, the latest ebook from Capital Press: http://bit.ly/WesternInnovators2012
Sweeping immigration legislation taking shape in the Senate will aim to overhaul the nation's agriculture worker program to create a steady supply of labor for farmers and growers.
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Portland lawyer Tim Bernasek has learned that the U.S. Department of Labor is inspecting Columbia Gorge farmers for potential labor violations.
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A bill introduced in the Idaho Legislature would make it a misdemeanor for a sheepherder to walk off the job and abandon their animals without first notifying their employer they are quitting.
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Changes in Mexican agriculture are prompting more workers to remain south of the border, driving up competition for labor with U.S. farmers, according to a migration study.
Today, podcast listeners can download the Kindle edition of "Keen on Quinoa" for free at http://bit.ly/KeenOnQuinoa
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Work resumed Dec. 26 at six Northwest grain export terminals despite the longshore union's rejection of a labor contract offer.
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Labor-intensive agriculture groups across the nation have united on an ag labor reform framework and are seeking broader support for what leaders see as a narrow window of opportunity for congressional action next year.
AgMinute is sponsored by "Western Innovators," which is available at http://amzn.to/WesternInnovators
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Capital Press editors and reporters talk about the perils and promise of the native seed industry, the rough times that Diamond Foods is in, and why demand for labor is booming in the Northwest. Read more at CapitalPress.com
AgMinute is sponsored by "Western Innovators," which is available at http://amzn.to/WesternInnovators
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A recent USDA report suggests Pacific Northwest farms and ranches employed more workers who put in longer hours this fall than during the prior harvest season. Despite the substantial labor increases, growers in some agricultural sectors, especially apple orchards, still came up short for workers.
AgMinute is sponsored by "Western Innovators," which is available at http://amzn.to/WesternInnovators
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In this podcast, reporters and editors discuss the loss of Williamson Act funding on California's ranches, why farmers who used the H-2A guestworker program may be on the hook for $400 million in back wages, and an editorial on congressional inaction and the importance of the farm bill.
This podcast is sponsored by "Western Innovators," available at http://amzn.to/WesternInnovators.
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The U.S. Department of Labor missed a deadline in processing 37 percent of the H-2A foreign guestworker applications it received in 2011, according to a government report. That included 7 percent that were approved less than 15 days before workers were needed.
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In this podcast, editors and reporters discuss the wildfires threatening fields and timber around the apple capital of the world, how the expiration of the farm bill could set U.S. farm policy back more than sixty years, why Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. is facing the largest fine ever assessed for violating federal pesticide law, and why orchards in Idaho are turning to refugees to pick their crops.
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In this podcast, editors and reporters talk about alleged flaws in the Department of Labor’s “hot goods” cases against Northwest berry growers, an audit that found problems in USDA smuggling investigations, and the return of the Idaho Potato Commission’s giant spud promotion.
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In this podcast, editors and reporters discuss mysterious crop circles in Washington state and a Department of Labor crackdown on berry farms that some are describing as extortion.
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