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February 27, 2015 CapitalPress.com 3 Farm labor association extends reach into other states Farm regulators ponder pot oversight By DAN WHEAT Capital Press Pesticides, licenses pose quandary for Oregon officials OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington Farm Labor As- sociation has grown dramat- ically in the past four years, becoming the main provider of H-2A visa foreign guest- workers on Washington farms. Soon the association will drop Washington from its name and simply go by its acronym, WAFLA, as it aims to become the largest labor and employment con- sulting service for seasonal ag employers on the West Coast and nation. It may soon surpass the North Caro- lina Growers Association as the largest provider of H-2A workers. “We are recognizing that we have slightly under 15 per- cent of our members in other states, mainly Oregon and Cal- ifornia, and that we want to grow in those states,” said Dan Fazio, WAFLA director. The nonprofit will legally change its name in March. It will take effect April 1 or soon thereafter, he said. WAFLA has its roots in the Washington Farm Bu- reau, dating back to 2007. By April 2011 it had 60 members. Today it has 615 members. Beyond those in Oregon and California there are a few members in other states, including Nevada and Michigan. WAFLA operates on a $5 million annual budget with the vast majority used to bring H-2A workers into Washington. As shortages of farm la- bor increased several years ago, Fazio saw that farm- ers, mainly Central Wash- ington tree fruit growers, needed help getting through the cumbersome process of applying to the U.S. Depart- ment of Labor for permis- sion to hire H-2A workers and help in recruiting, trans- porting and managing work- ers. WAFLA handles the ap- plication, recruits and hires the workers and transports them from Mexico to or- chards in Washington and back for $500 to more than $1,000 per worker, depend- ing on the type of program. Employers have to pro- vide housing, demonstrate a lack of domestic workers and hire domestic workers and offer them housing if they apply for jobs. The number of DOL certi- fied H-2A workers in Wash- ington has grown from 814 in 2006 to 9,077 in 2014. In recent years, WAFLA has handled about 80 percent of them. The number of DOL certified H-2A workers in Washington has increased by more than 40 percent in each of the past three years. Al- ready everyone who signed up for the program in 2014 has signed up for 2015 and more are joining, Fazio said. He foresees growth this year will slow to 15 percent be- Dan Wheat/Capital Press In this photograph is one of several buses WAFLA hires to bring H-2A visa guestworkers from Mexico to work on Washington state orchards and farms. This one was displayed at WAFLA’s annual labor conference at the Wenatchee Convention Center on Feb. 11. Central Washington fairs explain ag jobs YAKIMA, Wash. — Job fairs intended to attract people and help them advance in agriculture in Central Washington are being held by several organizations. The Washington Farm Labor Associ- ation, state Department of Employment Security WorkSource, Opportunities In- dustrialization Center of Washington and Roach Law firm of Pasco are holding the fairs to explain job opportunities and ad- vancement in agriculture, immigration reform and how domestic workers can benefit from the H-2A guestworker pro- gram. Roach Law will talk about Presi- cause the apple crop might be smaller, grower returns from the 2014 crop will be down and they won’t have as much money to invest in housing and the H-2A minimum wage increased 55 cents an hour. President Barack Obama’s executive action giving legal status to domestic workers could impact their availabil- ity, he said. There were only 238 H-2A workers in Oregon last year, but the state is ripe for that number to increase into the thousands because nurs- eries and growers of cherries, pears, watermelons, wine grapes and Christmas trees all need workers, Fazio said. However, the state of Ore- gon believes employers must provide housing not only for H-2A workers but their fam- ilies, Fazio said. That’s a big issue, he said. dent Barack Obama’s executive actions granting work status and explain how to apply. The fairs are informational, not a sign- up for jobs, said Kim Bresler, deputy di- rector of WAFLA. The fairs will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. at: • Bridgeport Elementary School cafete- ria, 1400 Tacoma Ave., March 3. • Yakima Southeast Community Center Gymnasium, 1211 S. Seventh St., March 4. • Kennewick WorkSource Columbia Ba- sin, 815 N. Kellogg St., Suite D, March 5. — Dan Wheat rop-6-26-5/#17 For these reasons, WSDA examined chemicals that EPA classifies as organic, biopesticide or “minimal risk” and are thus exempt from tolerance levels or fed- eral registration, Johansen By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI said. Capital Press The state agency nar- Marijuana legal- rowed that list by ization in Oregon has identifying pesticides farm regulators pon- that can be applied to dering how cultivation a wide range of crops, of the psychoactive he said. “If it’s fair- crop will square with ly broadly written, it existing rules for agri- could be interpreted as Burns culture. allowing other uses.” The Oregon Liquor While WSDA can Control Commission has pri- offer advice and guidance to mary jurisdiction over rec- the Washington State Liquor reational marijuana, which Control Board — which was legalized in Oregon last oversees recreational mari- year with voter approval of juana — farm regulators are Measure 91. not responsible for testing However, some aspects or enforcement of pesticide of regulating the crop may rules for that crop, Johansen come under the authority of said. the Oregon Department of Oregon plans to learn Agriculture and other state from the experience of reg- agencies, experts say. ulators in Washington and Officials from OLCC are Colorado, where marijuana scrambling to write rules was legalized earlier, said for overseeing marijuana Marks. production, processing and With alcohol, though, no sales but currently “have no two states have the same idea” what role other regu- regulations, so Oregon can lators will play, said Steve expect to develop a unique Marks, OLCC’s executive program for marijuana, he director, during a Feb. 18 said. Oregon Board of Agriculture The Oregon Department meeting. of Agriculture is happy to let Possessing and growing OLCC take the lead in set- limited quantities of mari- ting regulations but hopes to juana for personal use will avoid duplicative rules, said become legal in July and Katy Coba, the agency’s di- OLCC will begin issuing rector. business licenses for com- Commercial kitchens and mercial growing and pro- plant nurseries are already cessing in early 2016, he licensed by ODA, but it must said. still be decided whether the Regulating these com- agency will be responsible mercial processes may bear for licensing marijuana plant on subjects with which ODA producers and manufactur- already has expertise — for ers of edible marijuana prod- example, pesticide rules for ucts, she said. farmers are enforced by the OLCC’s recreational agency, said Tom Burns, di- marijuana rules may also rector of OLCC’s marijuana intersect with existing reg- programs. ulations for water quality, No chemicals are regis- overseen by the Oregon De- tered for marijuana by the partment of Environmental U.S. Environmental Pro- Quality, as well as irrigation, tection Agency, which rais- which is under the Oregon es the question of whether Water Resources Depart- ODA would be expected to ment’s jurisdiction, said test the crop for pesticides, Burns. he said. Experts say marijuana le- “Who is going to enforce galization raises numerous that, if in fact we are going other questions. to enforce it?” Burns said. Will growing the crop The Washington State allow landowners to qualify Department of Agriculture for farm property tax defer- may offer some guidance, as rals? the agency compiled a list Is marijuana cultivation of 273 pesticides that can be protected under Oregon’s used on recreational mari- “right to farm” law, which juana. Voters in that state le- shields growers from cer- galized the crop in 2012. tain lawsuits and local or- Marijuana is smoked and dinances against farming extracts from the plant are practices? eaten, which complicates the Another uncertainty is question of pesticide safe- how marijuana operations ty, said Erik Johansen, the fit under Oregon’s land use agency’s policy assistant for rules, said Marks. registration services. Processing facilities, Also, the EPA is “ada- farm stands and promotion- mant” there are no allowable al events are permitted in tolerances of registered pes- exclusive farm use zones, ticide residues on the crop, though it’s unclear if such which remains illegal under uses will be allowable for federal law, he said. marijuana, he said. Bag needs? Bag solutions! SMITH PACKAGING YOUR MAIN SUPPLIER FOR: • Polyethylene Bags • Polypropylene Bags • Paper Bags • Bulk Bags • Stretch Films • Hay Sleeves • Mesh Produce Bags • Plastic Pallet Covers • Bag Closure Products • General Warehouse Supplies Competitive pricing! Great quality products! Service you expect and trust! NOW ALSO SERVING YOU IN EASTERN WASHINGTON! Call Ed Kropf: 509-936-2652 ed@smith-packaging.com Halsey, Oregon 541-369-2850 www.smithpackagingservices.com 9-4/#5 9-2/#13