Farmers Crossing The Border - To Mexico

Is The Land Of Plenty Shifting South? Call It Reverse Immigration

(CBS)  The Mexican state of Guanajuato has fertile land and a mild climate. For years, however, poverty there has led many north to find work on farms in the United States.

But now there is movement across the border the other way, reports CBS News correspondent John Blackstone. Steve Scaroni is an American farmer who has moved to Mexico.

"It's a very sad situation that, you know, at 50 years old, I've had to come down here in a sense, start over, to be able to complete my American dream," Scaroni said.

Scaroni now divides his time between Mexico and big farms he still runs in United States. He says he was forced to start moving to Mexico because an immigration crackdown made it increasingly difficult to get workers in Arizona and California.

"We just can't get enough labor, every day, on a consistent basis to meet our production demands," he said.

The Western Growers Association says farmers in Arizona and California often need up to 30 percent more workers than they are able to hire.

So two years ago Scaroni started moving his farms to where the workers are. He now has 2,000 acres in Mexico with 500 employees.

He even runs his own packing plant handling more than two million pounds of lettuce a week for shipment to major food processors in the United States.

The lettuce processed and packed today will be across the U.S. border by tomorrow morning. With the food crossing the border, the workers don't have to - as American companies provide jobs in Mexico.

Scaroni got a big welcome from the state's secretary of agriculture, who says providing opportunity here means people won't die trying to cross the border.

Immigration reform that would have made it easier for farmworkers to enter the United States failed in Congress last year. One of its sponsors, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., says worker shortages are threatening American agriculture.

Feinstein said: "Farmers will soon decide they'd rather do it in Mexico."

Already American farmers have moved more than 46,000 acres of production to Mexico.

While that's not much compared to 27 million acres cultivated in California alone, farmers who make the move believe they're at the leading edge of agriculture's future.

"I just kinda wanna get a feel for how far off harvest this is," Scaroni said.

Scaroni says unless the law soon makes it much easier to get farm workers across the border, his land of opportunity is Mexico.

[samsondaisey]

Okay, this will gross out everyone. I worked with a lady from Mexico who told me that when she first came to the US her and her family would work the fields picking strawberries. She told me that her Uncle used to **** on the berries he picked to make them weigh more so that he''d get paid more. She said that a lot of the workers would do this. Now that''s disgusting!!! Wash your produce for more than just pesticides folks!

[anglosaxongal]

I believe he is lying...he''s going there to exploit and poison the mexican people with banned pesticides which he will put on his crops and then send them to the American people so they will also be poisoned. How come the American people aren''t allowed to have vegies and fruits from their own country??? Our are the cleanest and safest, or supposed to be! And what about the Mexican farmers??? Are they not allowed to make a living for themselves and their families??? These so-called farmers are evil. I hope they leave the U.S. forever and never come back and I hope our country ban their poisonous fruits! It''s bad Karma is what it is! Perhaps if we can get rid of these greedy rich men, our land will go back to our people and we can once again make a living on the land! And why aren''t you news people reporting on all the farm workers who are sick and dying from these murdering farmer''s poisons?

[besscannon-2009]

BOY!! It sounds like the powers that starting allowing illegals to stay opened a Pandora''s box just like the war has. It is a string of incorrect, unintelligent, self-serving for profit politicans that started it all. Now, it has become an out of control monster fighting any effort to control it. Also, why are we allowing illegals to have such a large voice in our national governments? Do you think Mexico''s government would stand for what they are demanding we allow to happen here in their country? That doesn''t even need a wait for the answer. You KNOW they wouldn''t!! So, why the big fuss over trying to straighten out the problem and get back our way of life before the illegals flooded in to destroy it. Then quit giving firms tax breaks for taking our jobs off shore. If they don''t like the conditions here, move out, make room for some that do love this country, and want to keep the freedoms and rights for legal citizens. And, for God''s sake, speak English so we can understand you or go home where they do!!!!

[vetbullfight]

Live in Mexico? Hmmmm That''s a good idea.

I''ve been told that if you ever go to Mexico on vacation, don''t ever leave the resort property and don''t ever take a cab because you''ll get kidnapped. Yeah, I really want to live there.

I was told by a MEXICAN that whenever he visits his family in Mexico, he never lets his wife and children walk around alone.

I asked him "Why?"

He looked me straight in the eyes and said, "Because you don''t know my people!"

Yeah, that sounds like a place I would like to live!

[lovegetpeace]

Hey nottellin1,
How much Narcotic Drugs do you buy on American streets, that keeps you happy, that causes all this ''liberal war zone'' in Mexico?

[nottellin1]

Another town is Rosarita in the Baja California state. Where did you get these fate policies-do they come from the MinuteMan website?

My point, Americans, mainly retiries, have decided to live their best and final years like Kings and Queens all across Mexico. Their Social Security and pension checks get mailed to their mail in Mexico.

Wakeup Idiot Americans!


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Posted by lovegetpeace at 01:36 PM : Apr 10, 2008

This is so inacurate as to be scary, Right now Americans are abandoning communities in Rosarito & the Baja coast in droves. Northern Baja from Tijuana south has become a literal war zone. You must give the corrupt of Mexico credit, they may have this planned all along as a way to get Americans to build million $ homes and then leave out of fear. Of course, this poster is obviously sadly misinformed in every post. Mexicans may be paitent and sneaky, but Americans are strong, determined and tenacious. The people of the United States of America will win out in the end.

[nottellin1]

It is outrageous how our government regularly enforces the law against the little people who violate the Digital Millenium Act with black market CDs or DVDs so as to save money, but they do nothing to businesses who hire black market labor to save money, but it has far more negative impact to the economy.



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Posted by cbsblogger at 08:46 AM : Apr 10, 2008

Holy Cow Blogger, I never viewed it in this light before. Gives me a whole new line of attack or defense depending on venue. I wonder why trade unions arent doing anything, I thought the unions were supposed to protect their members. Hmmmm.

[yellowbird25]

TRUTH: Mexico had Article 27 where only citizens could own the land; Clinton as Pres wanted NAU; Corp''s started getting land after flooding cheap corn which is Mexico''s main commodity undermining their livlihood & forcing them off the land so Corp''s could get it for next to nothing; Very sad & they are angry & bitter even being brought to America as "refugees with benefits" getting cars, money, loans no interest pay back no calls; why flood of immigrants here; why Congress operating outside laws of USA & international & their own laws for that matter; check out NAU; NAFTA; & AMERO;

[ossawo]

While researching my family history I ran across The Chinese Exclusion Act, passed May 6, 1882. The article can be found at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. It put a freeze on Chinese entering the US.

A law similar law should be written for present day and days to come.

[silkroader1]

So some idiot put his nationalist fervor in overdrive and concocted a "Law" that prevents "illegal" immigrants from seeking employment. Well, I wonder what they would have said to his great-grand-pappi who had come over on a sailing ship to build a new life and escape the artificially created potato famine? I admit that this is a very different scenario from the one 200 years ago. But the principle is the same. A human being has the right to live where he wants and work where he pleases.

"Legal Immigration" is literally just a piece of paper. What''s at stake here is Taxes and Health Care. So the way to solve the problem is for each immigrant to sign seasonal indentured contracts. They will pay their income taxes and have health care deductions like the rest of us. When the season is over they can return across the border. But before they do that they can sign another contract for the next year. This way they know that they will receive employment next year. Living quarters should by provided by employers and rents charged. This will prevent the workers from going AWOL and disappearing.

Building fences is like asking people not to drink water in a drought or stop the cutting down trees. These are not solutions but their absence.

[beckyib]

This is why I like CBS News with Katie Couric. Didn''t see this on NBC or ABC. Thanks for the great investigative reporting.

[darkestrose-2009]

Quote:: "It''s a very sad situation that, you know, at 50 years old, I''ve had to come down here in a sense, start over, to be able to complete my American dream," Scaroni said.

Scaroni''s American dream seems to be getting rich while the people doing the back breaking labor barely get enough to get by. Very sad. Not MY American dream. Shame it''s anyone''s American Dream.

-DR

[vetbullfight]

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DON''T COLLABORATE!
JOIN THE AMERICAN RESISTANCE!
BEFORE IT''S TOO LATE!

[quetzal0666]

Posted by lovegetpeace ...

Terror y slam
necesita tomar su pildora para aliviar su depression....

[lovegetpeace]

Folks,
On April 1981, the city council in the farm city of Bakersfield in the farm rich area of central California passed an ordinance that simply said no farmer can hire undocumented aliens period. No ifs, buts or else.

In early June 1981, the corps all around Bakersfield was starting to rotten. Very Quietly, on the night of 21-June-1981, the same city council canceled the city ordinance. I heard a similar story in Texas the following year.

[lovegetpeace]

Folks,
I just cannot wait for the day when a critical mass of farmers have left America that the President and Congress quickly sign an Amnesty law to all farm laborers to get these farmers back.

[lovegetpeace]

Hey terrorislamh,
"that means he needs to raise the wages until he gets all the help he needs,,,that is capitalism"

Bravo, you passed the final exam. Sorry if I ever called you an Idiot Gringo.

[yongamerica]

companies leaving the US, is now happening.
Posted by apple2pie

Only because these companies can no longer get the illegal workers they want for the profit they desire. Notice there is no discussion of minimum wage? In Mexico if you payed a farm laborer minimum wage he''d be a king amongst his peers.

[quetzal0666]

Hangar No. 1 at San Salvador''s airport is hopping. Technicians employed by jet maintenance contractor Aeroman swarm over Airbus planes belonging to JetBlue Airways (JBLU), US Airways (LCC), and Ukraine''s Donbassaero, checking electrical systems, replacing carpets, and examining engines and flaps for signs of corrosion or defects. Just outside, more jets from US Airways and Air Tanzania wait their turn. Why the rush to this tiny Central American country? Starting pay at Aeroman in El Salvador is around $4,500 a year, while veterans take home perhaps $15,000. In the U.S., airplane mechanics earn an average of $52,000 annually....

this just in from onother source,
more outsourcing.....

[quetzal0666]

Posted by terrorislamh ...

i see you have a masters degree in economics, and world affairs,.. Bravo.
out of this little piece of a story you have managed to not only see the problem but also found a solution,
youre sheer Genius....