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Posts Tagged ‘alabama’
Saturday, January 21st, 2012
In the wake of major crops losses due to Georgia and Alabama’s tough new immigration laws, some Southern farmers are attempting to adjust to the new labor shortages by changing their crop rotations.
Over the last several months, both Georgia and Alabama passed a series of laws designed to reduce the flow of illegal immigration. Both states required employers to use the federal E-Verify system, which matches employment applications to federal records, both states empowered law enforcement to verify the status of individuals detained by police, and Alabama went as far as to require all students to verify their residency status.
Following the passage of these laws, many agricultural laborers left the state, creating major labor shortages on many farms. Farmers in both Georgia and Alabama have reported millions of dollars in lost revenue and many farms have reported crops rotting in the field with no one to pick them.
While many farmers are hoping that new federal regulations may make it easier to attract guest workers, many are also altering their planting patterns to reflect the new lack of labor. In Georgia, for example, labor intensive crops like Vidalia onions, the state’s official vegetable, may see a ten percent drop in production as farmers plant fewer acres, while crops that can be harvested mechanically are expected to see increased production.
In addition, many farmers are simply planting less in general. While this may reduce their total profits, eliminating wasted money on seeds and fertilizer for crops that may rot in fields can help reduce overhead and get farmers through this rough patch.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: alabama, farm labor, georgia, immigration
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Monday, December 12th, 2011
In the wake of the state’s controversial immigration law, Alabama farmers are still struggling to fill empty farm labor positions and stop an exodus of Hispanic farm workers.
The bill, passed last summer, is one of the harshest in the nation. It requires all employers to verify the immigration status of employees by using E-Verify, an electronic system that interfaces with federal databases. In addition, the bill grants police the power to inquire about immigration status during routine stops and requires Alabama schools to determine the immigration status of students.
In the wake of this bill, Alabama has suffered a hemorrhaging of farm laborers. While many farms had been relying on illegal immigrants to do a significant number of jobs, many legal immigrants have left, citing fears of persecution and harassment.
In an effort to fill those jobs, Alabama officials are turning towards two new potential labor sources. Some farms are hoping that convict labor could help them shore up their dwindling workforce. The Alabama Secretary of Agriculture is currently discussing the possibility of convict labor with the Secretary of Corrections.
In addition, many farms are hoping that veterans could provide an important source of labor. The Agriculture Department as well as Alabama State University has applied for federal grants that offer money to train and hire returning veterans.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: alabama, farm labor, immigration
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Sunday, October 30th, 2011
According to recent rumors at the Montgomery State House, Alabama officials are looking for solutions to their state’s immigration and labor crises. In order to stem the tide of illegal immigration, earlier this summer, state officials passed one of the toughest immigration laws in the nation.
The law barred employers from entering into contracts with illegal immigrants, required all employers to use the federal E-Verify system, required school officials to document students who were in the country illegally, and empowered state police to verify the immigration status of individuals they detained.
The result of this law was a massive drop in farm labor. Hispanic residents, both legal and illegal, left the state, leaving a large gap in available labor and costing hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue.
Hoping to restore lost labor, some Alabama officials are looking to imitate recent laws passed in Utah, where state officials attempted to create a guest worker program for illegal immigrants. The program would have allowed illegal residents to live and work after paying a $1,000 to $2,500 fine.
Utah’s immigration law, however, requires federal approval, which at the present seems unlikely. In addition, it may be challenged in court, with some opponents claiming that states have no constitutional mandate to create immigration statuses without explicit federal approval.
While there is some talk in Montgomery of implementing a policy like Utah’s, many state politicians have placed their hopes in Congress and have petitioned the House and Senate to revise and expand federal guest worker programs.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: alabama, farm labor, guest workers, immigration
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Sunday, October 9th, 2011
According to Alabama Department of Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan, the state government might soon be forced to rely on convict labor to make up dramatic and chronic farm labor shortages. Earlier this summer, Alabama passed a series of strict immigration laws designed to curb illegal immigration in the state. An unintended consequence of this law, however, was a massive flight of Hispanic farm workers.
Following in the wake of Georgia and Arizona, Alabama’s immigration law is one of the toughest in the nation. In addition to requiring the use of the federal E-Verify system, the new law empowers state police to determine the residency status of anyone detained by law enforcement and requires Alabama schools to determine the immigration status of children.
Fearing persecution by police, many farm workers have left the state, leaving Alabama farmers in the lurch. The massive decline in farm labor has left crops rotting in the field and has led to multi-million dollar losses for the agricultural sector.
Alabama Governor Nathan Deal’s latest plan to deal with the labor crisis is to offer non-violent Alabama convicts the opportunity to sign up for agricultural work-release programs, giving them the chance to work on Alabama farms for wages set by local farmers.
A similar plan was enacted in Georgia earlier this summer to mixed results. Many convicts quit their jobs after only a few days. Although farmers are hopeful that the use of convict labor will stem the financial losses, many are looking to the state government to provide a long-term solution.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: alabama, farm labor, immigration
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Sunday, September 18th, 2011
Alabama Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan recently came out in favor of free trade agricultural policies. McMillan, who took office in January of this year, recently attended the National Association of State Agriculture Departments’ midyear meeting in Salt Lake City. In statement’s made before his attendance, McMillan planned on addressing three major concerns to Alabama farmers; the Farm Bill, free trade, and immigration.
Like most farmers across the country, McMillan is concerned about the upcoming Farm Bill. Despite having no official influence over the federal legislation, McMillan was confident that Alabama would have some say over the final version of the bill. Two of Alabama’s national representatives, Martha Roby and Terri Sewell, serve on the House Agriculture Committee.
In addition to the Farm Bill, McMillan addressed Alabama’s controversial immigration law. The law forces employers, including farmers, to verify employees’ immigration status using E-Verify. The law also punishes employers who hire illegal immigrants. Farmers in the state have argued that the bill has chased away farm labor and is threatening the profitability of the state’s agricultural sector. Without condemning or condoning the bill, McMillan stated that he was discussing it with farmers from across the state.
Most important to McMillan’s attendance at the meeting was the impact that free trade agreements could have in Alabama. The federal government is currently considering free trade agreements with Columbia, Panama, and South Korea. Given Alabama’s location in the Gulf of Mexico, the state stands to gain considerably from loosening trade restrictions with Latin American nations. McMillan hopes that free trade deals with Columbia and Panama could generate up to 15,000 jobs in Alabama and is currently urging President Obama to enact these trade deals.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: alabama, Barack Obama, free trade, john McMillan
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Saturday, July 30th, 2011
According to some Alabama farmers, the state’s agricultural labor force is remarkably low. Bill Cook, the owner of an Alabama horticultural farm, reports that he is having difficulty filling a skilled landscape manager position on his farm, a problem he’s never had before. According to his unofficial estimates, his applicant pool is about fifteen times lower than it was last year. Other farmers have reported similar difficulties in hiring.
The problem, according to Cook and other farmers, is Alabama’s tough new immigration law. Last month, Alabama passed a new immigration bill that cracked down on employing illegal immigrants. In addition to requiring school districts to determine the citizenship status of students, the bill would require all employers to use E-Verify, an electronic residency verifier that many claim is more effective than current systems. The new law will take effect on September 1.
The problem, according to Cook, is that many immigrants, including legal residents, are leaving the state before that bill takes effect. Many farmers claim that legal immigrants are leaving alongside illegal immigrants in order to preserve familial and cultural ties. This departure has left a massive void in skilled agricultural labor, a void that Cook and other farmers have been having difficulty filling with Alabama residents.
A similar situation occurred in the wake of Georgia’s tough immigration law, with that state losing thousands of agricultural jobs and standing to lose over a billion dollars in lost agricultural revenue.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: alabama, immigration
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Sunday, July 3rd, 2011
Dry, arid weather than has plagued much of the Southwest this spring and summer appears to have spread to Alabama. Drought conditions, which have been affecting the southern part of the state since April, show little signs of relenting. Agricultural Commissioner John McMillan stated that unless the state experiences rain, the drought could spread northward, forcing the Governor and federal officials to issue a disaster declaration.
The long drought has already devastated much of Alabama agricultural production. While about 94 percent of Alabama is experiencing unusually dry weather according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, farmers in the southern portion of the state are hardest hit. Some farmers report losses approaching 50 percent of their crop.
Others have managed to avoid complete disaster only through extensive use of irrigation. Sammy Williams of Henry County reports that he’ll likely save about 80 percent of his corn crop, but only because he has run his irrigation system almost nonstop for the past three months. Many farmers, however, are worried that the constant use of irrigation systems cannot be continued indefinitely.
Commissioner McMillan is recommending that Governor Robert Bentley declare a disaster state in several counties. That declaration, pending approval from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, would give Alabama farmers access to low interest federal loans and direct assistance for crops lost in the disaster.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: alabama, drought, Robert Bentley
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Sunday, May 1st, 2011
The recent string of heavy storms has severely damaged several Southern states’ agricultural economies. On April 16, multiple tornadoes touched down in North Carolina, part of a larger series of storms that swept through several Southern states. The storms killed over twenty people and left tens of thousands without power. In addition, the tornadoes swept through eastern North Carolina, hitting much of the state’s farms and agricultural land. While early enough in the planting season to avoid catastrophic economic damage, the storms have destroyed several farms, including the more than 100 year old Norris Farm.
More devastating were the April 27th tornadoes that tore through the South. The storms, which killed over 300 people across the South, were felt particularly hard in Alabama, where 250 people have been reported as killed. In addition to the staggering human cost, the storms have battered Alabama’s multibillion dollar agricultural industry. North Alabama poultry producers, one of the largest agricultural industries in the state, have estimated that about 200 poultry houses were destroyed and about 180 damaged (a typical poultry house contains about 20,000 birds). In addition to the loss of animals, the massive power outages and disrupted access to clean water could threaten more livestock in the state.
President Obama has already declared a state of emergency in Alabama and several other Southern states hit hardest by last week’s storms. The declaration should unlock federal disaster funds, which should help individual citizens, small businesses, and agricultural businesses rebuild. State officials and local residents have already praised FEMA’s reaction to these storms, the worst U.S. natural disaster since Hurricane Katrina.
To learn more about agricultural financing opportunities contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmplusfinancial.com.
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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer
Tags: alabama, President Obama, tornadoes
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Thursday, February 25th, 2010
The United States Department of Agriculture is awarding $310 million to improve or install broad-band Internet in 14 rural counties.
The high-speed Internet will be put in counties in Alaska, Missouri, Alabama and Iowa. The USDA plans for Internet access to bring jobs to the counties as well as training for employment.
The money will be used on specific proposed projects. Those interested in receiving money should apply by March 15 to their local Farm Service Agency office.
Inflation fears? Refinance with Farm Plus before farm loan rates rise. Farm loan rates starting at 2.99% with 25 year terms. See our rate sheet here or call, toll free, 866-929-5585.
Tags: alabama, Alaska, iowa, missouri, usda, Utilities
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Monday, February 8th, 2010
Eligible Alabama farmers can apply for low-interest emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency.
The declaration came on Christmas Eve from the United States Department of Agriculture.
“All farmers are eligible for the loans because of the excess rain we had during the harvest season,” said Thomas Atkinson, the Madison County executive director of the Farm Service Agency.
The disaster follows record rains during September and October that destroyed many cotton, soybean, corn and peanut crops. The rains also pushed harvesting back four to six weeks.
Those hit by disaster may also be eligible for help from the Supplemental Reserve Assistance Payments program (SURE), but these loan payments are not available until 2011.
Federal Reserve stated interest rates likely to rise. Refinance your farm loan before rates go up. Call a representative by dialing 866-929-5585 or visit us online.
Tags: alabama, loan, usda
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