THE BIG STORY Sunday, October 9, 2016 | magicvalley.com | SECTION B
PAT SUTPHIN PHOTOS, TIMES-NEWS
German Roman Bojorquez, in the U.S. on an H-2A visa, walks away from a swather as he leaves for a break Aug. 3 at Armand Eckert’s farm in Buhl. Eckert hasn’t found local workers since the 1970s and relies entirely on temporary ag workers from Mexico.
H-2A VISA DELAYS HINDER IDAHO AG STATE’S CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS PUSH FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS JULIE WOOTTON
H-2A PROGRAM
jwootton@magicvalley.com
B
UHL — On a blustery afternoon in early August, Jesus Molina prepared land for alfalfa. Dust flew as he drove a giant John Deere tractor across a Buhl field. Molina, from Sinaloa, Mexico, has worked at Armand Eckert’s farm since 1987 on H-2A visas. The reason he keeps coming back? The economy, he said through an interpreter. “Back in Mexico, the situation is tough. It makes sense to be here.” Eckert added: “When he first came, neither of us had white hair.” They both laughed. But the old arrangement has a new wrinkle. Nationwide, the number of temporary agricultural workers with H-2A visas has nearly tripled in five years. Employers are struggling with federal government delays in getting workers processed, resulting in their late arrival and an economic impact on the agricultural season. Idaho’s congressional delegation is pushing for changes to H-2A visa processing. But immigration remains a hot topic nationwide, and the program’s future could be affected by the outcome of the presidential election in November. The temporary agricultural worker program is excellent, Eckert said, but “it’s always held hostage to the greater immigration issue.” Without H-2A visas, he added, “we don’t have the work force.” Eckert, who has employed H-2A workers since 1986, said his employees were eligible to come March 1 this year. But they didn’t arrive until March 18. “There’s always delays in getting them up here,” Eckert said. In March, his H-2A workers typically pick rocks out of fields for a couple of weeks to prepare for planting, then repair and put in hand line sprinkler pipes, then start watering sugar beets and moving hand line sprinklers three times a day. If the workers arrive
M 1
H-2A program data from Aug. 12:
IDAHO
439 28* 2,665 Job listings
Employers
Workers
SOUTH-CENTRAL IDAHO
191 9* 898 Job listings
Employers
Jesus Alfredo Roman Zabala uses an air hose to clean debris out of the baler Aug. 3 at Armand Eckert’s farm in Buhl. Zabala shares on-farm housing with seven other H-2A workers.
“While I support the program and have called for improvements to make it more efficient, I also recognize the challenges we face with our current immigration system and vetting process. Any solutions advanced must both keep our country safe and provide the workforce for the agriculture industries.” Idaho U.S. Sen. Jim Risch late, the rocks don’t get picked or the Eckerts do it themselves. Sugar beet and barley planting are delayed. Once his workers finish with the agricultural season in late October or early November, they’re required to go home to Mexico. An April story in the Capital
Press reported problems getting H-2A paperwork processed by the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which led to temporary agricultural worker shortages in more than 20 states this spring. Across the country, fewer than 10 percent of seasonal agricultural
workers are employed through the H-2A program. But a growing number of employers — a 40 percent increase over five years — have filed paperwork wanting to sponsor workers through the H-2A program, assistant U.S. Labor Secretary Portia Wu told NPR in May. Idaho U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo
MORE INSIDE: H-2A workers Jesus Ramon Roman Molina, Irene Ramon Molina and Carlos Martinez Covarrubias, B3
Workers
*Note: Hiring agencies often represent multiple farms. Each agency is listed as a single employer. Source: Idaho Department of Labor
wants legislation to reshape or improve the existing guest worker program, spokesman Lindsay Nothern said. There’s too much uncertainty for legal workers who are coming in and for employers to make sure they’re following federal laws correctly, Nothern said. “The whole program right now is too uncertain and needs to be improved.” The temporary agricultural worker program is also caught up in the overall immigration debate, Nothern said. “The situation seems to get blurred.” Please see H-2A, Page B2
BIG STORY
B2 | Sunday, October 9, 2016
Times-News
PAT SUTPHIN PHOTOS, TIMES-NEWS
Jesus Ramon Roman Molina drives a tractor Aug. 3 at Armand Eckert’s farm in Buhl. Molina has been a seasonal worker for Eckert since 1986.
H-2A From B1
Idaho U.S. Sen. Jim Risch wrote in a statement to the Times-News that the H-2A program is “absolutely critical to the agricultural industries in Idaho where a skilled workforce is needed.” But he, too, involved the larger immigration issue in his praise of the H-2A program. “While I support the program and have called for improvements to make it more efficient, I also recognize the challenges we face with our current immigration system and vetting process,” Risch wrote. “Any solutions advanced must both keep our country safe and provide the workforce for the agriculture industries.” In 2012, Risch and Crapo signed a bipartisan letter requesting improvements to the H-2A program. Idaho’s two U.S. representatives, Raul Labrador and Mike Simpson, were among 102 congressmen who sent a June 10 letter to the U.S. DeCrapo partment of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, saying there are serious issues with administration of the H-2A program. It’s “creating a growing number of delays in the timely processing of applications and visa petitions,” the Labrador group wrote. “This breakdown is impacting growers and ranchers who are trying to hire workers in time for the harvest and threatening millions of dollars in perishable agricultural products.” Labor shortages and demand for H-2A workers are growing, the group wrote. Simpson And more employers are receiving notices from federal agencies requiring them to prove “that agriculture is in fact seasonal in nature.” “These notices create an unnecessary and untimely delay in the process,” the congressmen wrote. They also acknowledged a need for “broader improvements to our legal immigration system.” A U.S. House bill — the Family Farm Relief Act of 2015 — proposes streamlining the application process for H-2A visas, but it’s stalled due to a partisan divide. The problem with the program is that it’s overly regulated, Eckert said. Once an agricultural season is over, returning workers must apply again for a visa and go through another round of background checks. Eckert’s suggestion: Workers who’ve worked in the U.S. for at least five years should get a pass.
How many workers are here?
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 allowed farmers to hire workers through a legal program. Before that, many farmers hired illegal workers, Eckert said, but “farmers want to do things right and correct.” Across south-central Idaho, 898 workers have H-2A visas, according to the Idaho Department of Labor. The region ranks second highest in the state, only slightly behind the Idaho Falls area. About 150 employers in Magic Valley have temporary agricultural workers, according to the Snake River Farmers Association. The association provided data but didn’t respond to multiple interview requests. The workers most often fill farm, irrigation and equipment operator jobs, the Idaho Department of Labor said. Less common occu-
Jesus Alfredo Roman Zabala, left, talks with Irene Ramon Molina on their lunch break in their provided housing Aug. 3 at Armand Eckert’s farm in Buhl. pations include ones in the sheep industry — such as a herder, wool sorter or shearer — and working with bees or mink. The Idaho Department of Labor handles job listings for temporary agricultural jobs. After that, applicant information is forwarded to the U.S. Department of Labor’s national headquarters. Most agricultural producers use a recruitment company to help with H-2A paperwork and hiring, said Jan Roeser, regional economist for the Idaho Department of Labor. Any U.S. workers who apply are given priority. After that, H-2A visas are issued to foreign workers to fill available jobs. In 1973, Eckert put up a poster on a bulletin board at College of Southern Idaho seeking workers. “There were pretty snide remarks written on it,” he said. It was the last year he had a U.S. worker as an employee. Nobody, he said, has been interested.
Running the farm
Outside Buhl, a bumpy gravel road just north of Miracle Hot Springs leads to the Eckert family’s farm. One early-August afternoon, Eckert got into his Ford Super Duty truck and drove along the property. He had been awake since midnight, baling straw until 10 a.m. “We can’t bale this straw when it gets hot,” he said. When Eckert’s family moved out to the land in 1958, it was all sagebrush. Eckert’s father, Maurice, passed the property to his sons. Now, the family farms 4,500 to 5,000 acres, growing sugar beets, barley, alfalfa and corn silage. During sugar beet season, sprinkler pipes are moved frequently to water the crops; it’s a labor-intensive job. “Sugar beets are a real pain in the butt to get going,” Eckert said. The Eckert family used to have 10 H-2A workers, but technology has become more efficient — such as circular sprinklers and tractors with GPS. Now it has eight. Four brothers — including Eckert — run the business, along with two nephews. They labor
alongside the temporary ag workers. Many of Eckert’s workers have been with him for many years. “A stable work force is everything in any industry,” he said. Eckert attended Buhl High School, CSI and Boise State University. He learned to speak Spanish in school and went to Brazil through a Rotary Club program. Most of his workers are from the original 1986 crew or are related to them, Eckert said. He said he treats workers like family and has visited each of their homes in Mexico. None of the men drink or do drugs, he said, adding they’re religious and are great family members. A temporary agricultural worker’s spouse and unmarried children younger than 21 can apply for an H-4 visa to come to the U.S., according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. But none of Eckert’s workers have family members with them in Buhl. By midday on that August afternoon, workers were taking a lunch break. The Eckerts provide three small, three-bedroom houses on their property for the eight workers. In the carpeted living room of one house, where three of the men live, mismatched furniture — brown and red sofas, a pink chair — faced a small box television. A ceiling fan ran overhead. Pots were stacked in the kitchen sink near a yellow refrigerator. The housing units can be inspected anytime during summer by state, regional or federal labor officials, Eckert said, and must comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards. There are fees for violations — even if it’s just a light bulb that doesn’t work. And the farm is subject to audits, such as of payroll documents. “The penalties they impose for making errors is substantial,” Eckert said. In addition to housing, employers must pay some worker expenses: visa application fees, transportation to and from Mexico, work clothing, housing and utilities. Eckert’s workers are paid $11.75 per hour, the standard rate for H-2A workers in Idaho. Irene Ramon Molina, who has worked for
Eckert since the early 1990s, wakes at 5 a.m. and typically works until 8 p.m. During the peak season, he and his co-workers labor seven days a week. By early August, they were taking Sundays off and, sometimes, part of the day on Saturdays. But even on a day off, the men move sprinkler pipes in the morning and at night. Irene heard about the job at the Eckert farm from his brother, who came in 1987. Before that, Irene worked at construction jobs in Mexico. Why does he keep coming back every year? “Dinero,” he said through an interpreter. Money. “Unemployment is huge is Mexico.” All of the workers have previous farming experience, Eckert said, and that’s a job requirement. When they’re not working, the men use their cell phones to call home to Mexico. They also use Facebook to stay in contact with family members and friends. On weekends, they go into Twin Falls to get food — borrowing a vehicle from Eckert or someone else. They also find clothing for their children to send home to Mexico. But Molina and his co-workers will wait another month before seeing their families face to face.
Reporter Julie Wootton, second from left, learned about H-2A visas while reporting for a two-part series about migrant students in the Twin Falls School District. She enjoyed going to a farm in Buhl to meet temporary agricultural workers and hear their stories.
M 1
BIG STORY
Times-News
Sunday, October 9, 2016 | B3
H-2A WORKERS
PAT SUTPHIN, TIMES-NEWS
LEFT: Irene Ramon Molina talks about his daily responsibilities at work while on his lunch break Aug. 3 at Armand Eckert’s farm in Buhl. RIGHT: Jesus Ramon Roman Molina stands next to a tractor he drives Aug. 3 on Eckert’s farm.
Irene Ramon Molina
HOW TO HIRE TEMPORARY AGRICULTURAL WORKERS
Irene Ramon Molina has four children at home in Mexico. Even after more than two decades working at Armand Eckert’s farm in Buhl, it’s tough being apart from his family. “It’s very hard,” he said through an interpreter. “Family is integral, and it’s missed a lot.” When he’s gone for months, Molina said, he sometimes feels a sense of emptiness. Two daughters are enrolled in Mexico’s university system. One studies accounting and the other business management. “Obviously, (I’m) very happy,” he said. His other two children are in elementary school and entering high school. With the money Molina earns in Buhl, he can pay for his children’s school fees. In the off season, he said, it gets tougher; that starts in late October or early November. This is the first year he has used
Who qualifies?
What’s the application process?
To hire H-2A workers, an employer must:
A farmer — or an organization that works for an employer — must go through several steps to become certified to hire H-2A workers:
Have a seasonal or temporary job. Prove there aren’t workers in the U.S. who can fill
the position. The Idaho Department of Labor ver It must submit an application to the U.S. Departifies the job listing has been posted and remained ment of Labor. unfilled. Once an employer gets certification from the department, it must file a form with U.S. Citizenship Prove that hiring H-2A employees won’t affect job and Immigration Services. conditions or pay for U.S. workers in similar jobs. Again, the Idaho Department of Labor provides doc- Foreign workers can apply for H-2A visas at a U.S. umentation. embassy or consulate. Then, they must cross a port of entry into the U.S. Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
social media such as Facebook to keep in touch with his family. That’s a drastic difference from his first year on the job in the early 1990s, when he sent handwritten letters home to Mexico. When Molina’s job ends in Buhl, he goes back to Mexico for the winter and returns in March. He finds work wherever he can and owns a small shop.
Jesus Ramon Roman Molina Jesus Ramon Roman Molina heard about the job at Armand Eckert’s farm in Buhl from the husband of a niece. He started in 1987 and has returned every year since. Being away from his family is hard, though.
11th Annual
“Sometimes, sadness creeps in knowing they’re far away,” he said through an interpreter. Molina’s two daughters — ages 24 and 28 — are housewives in Mexico. When he’s back in his home country, he does ranch work to make money. He owns a parcel of land and cows, which his brotherin-law takes care of when he’s in the U.S.
The job in Buhl, Molina said, gives him a chance to earn better wages than in Mexico.
Carlos Martinez Covarrubias
Carlos Martinez Covarrubias has worked at Armand Eckert’s farm in Buhl since 2011 because, he said, it provides his two children with an education and a better future. Back in Mexico, he enjoys traveling, he said through an interpreter. And when he’s working in Buhl, he brings skills from his background as an electrician. Covarrubias described himself and his co-workers as jacks-ofall-trades; they fill a variety of roles at the farm. He plans to continue working for the Eckert family as long as the H-2A program will allow. He joked he’ll stop working when his boss croaks. He and Eckert laughed. But in seriousness, Covarrubias said he hopes his boss lives for many years to come. —Julie Wootton
Presented by
Saturday, October 29th • 7am – 1pm
LocAtion: CSI GYM Shuttle Available
Services Offered: Glucose ............................................ $3 Lipid Panel ...................................... $10 CMP............................................... $15 Please fast for 12 hours prior to your blood draw (you may drink water). CBC ............................................... $10 Hemoglobin A1c ............................. $10 TSH ................................................ $10 PSA................................................ $15 Clinical Lab Work Lipid and Glucose Profile ................ $13 Free Skin Cancer Screening Free Gait and Balance Screenings Free Vision Screenings Free Hearing Screenings
FAdmri ee ssion
FREE ts Flu Sho
) 0 Shots 0 2 t s r i (F of The
Free Nitrate Testing for Well Water Free Blood Pressure Checks For more information, email us at healthfair@magicvalley.com
Co-Sponsored by
M 1
sy
Courte
Individuals with disabilities are invited to request reasonable accommodations to participate in Times-News sponsored programs and events. To request an accommodation(s), please contact Michelle at 208-678-0411 or mcampbell@magicvalley.com by October 14, 2016.