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8 CapitalPress.com Friday, March 8, 2019 Attorney describes options to get foreign farmworkers By DAN WHEAT Capital Press YAKIMA, Wash. — While the H-2A-visa agri- cultural foreign guest- worker program is heavily used in Washington, there are other lesser known means of getting legal for- eign workers. “None of these things is a magic bullet but they are some other poten- tials,” Tom Roach, a Pasco immigration attorney, told the Washington Growers League annual meeting in Yakima, Feb. 20. He reviewed nine options but later said they would be of minimal use to Washington growers, but the most promising is Deferred Action for Child- hood Arrivals (DACA). It’s a two-year renewable deferral of deportation with work authorization granted to children of illegal immi- grants who came to the U.S. under 15 years of age. Dan Wheat/Capital Press Tom Roach, a Pasco, Wash., immigration attorney, at the Washington Growers League annual meeting, Feb. 20. While the future of the pro- gram is in litigation, some 800,000 recipients can work. The National Council of Agricultural Employers estimates less than 2 per- cent of them work in agri- culture. Roach agreed it’s a small number but said he knows of some who do. Another avenue is immi- grant visas or green cards (permanent residence sta- tus). About 1 million green cards are issued annually with 85 percent based on family. About 5,000 are set aside for low-skilled work- ers, but his law firm is help- ing a dairy use it to get workers, he said. The dairy foreman, who is from Mex- ico, is doing the recruiting, he said. Foreign students in U.S. colleges on F-1 visas can get work permits for part- time work while in college and a permit for up to a year of work after college, Roach said. People allowed into the country while applying for political asylum can get work permits while they await processing, he said. Temporary protected status is given to eligible nationals from designated countries affected by armed conflict or natural disasters. It allows people to live and work in the U.S. for limited time but is renewable. “It can kind of last for- ever. Trump has decided it will be discontinued Sept. 9 for people from El Salva- dor, but that’s in the courts so who knows if it will be,” Roach said. The North American Free Trade Agreement allows people — mostly profes- sionals, but not farmworkers — and goods to move across borders, he said. It requires a letter from a U.S. employer that the applicant submits at the border. Work progresses on celiac-safe wheat By MATTHEW WEAVER Capital Press A new variety of wheat that would be safe for celiac patients to eat is under devel- opment, but researchers say years of testing remain before it could be commer- cially available. Sachin Rustgi, an assis- tant professor of molecular breeding at Clemson Uni- versity in Clemson, S.C., and a Washington State Uni- versity adjunct faculty mem- ber, foresees at least three to five more years of testing ahead. The project was begun at WSU, where the initial wheat varieties were devel- oped. A detailed biochem- ical analysis was done at Clemson, according to a Capital Press File A type of wheat that would be safe for celiac sufferers is under development at Washington State University and Clemson University. WSU press release. Researchers introduced new DNA into wheat, devel- oping a variety that con- tains a “gluten-busting” enzyme, or glutenase, from barley and another from the bacterium Flavobacterium meningosepticum. These enzymes break down gluten proteins in the human diges- tive system. Since most wheat prod- ucts are baked at high tem- peratures, Rustgi’s team is now developing heat-stable variations of the enzymes. The new genotype is still at the research stage and has not been approved for sale. Scientists tested gluten extracts from the experi- mental grain and found that it had far lower levels of the gluten proteins, accord- ing to WSU. The enzymes reduced the amount of indi- gestible gluten by as much as two-thirds. More than 2 million peo- ple in the U.S. suffer from celiac disease. The body’s immune system reacts when someone with celiac disease eats gluten — the protein in wheat that gives breads, pasta and cereal their chewy texture. Celiac patients suf- fer nausea, cramps, malnu- trition and other health prob- lems when they eat food that includes gluten. There is no treatment for celiac disease other than avoiding foods made with wheat or taking an enzyme supplement with every meal. “I have talked with many (celiac patients) and they have all been willing to try anything that is suitable for them,” Rustgi told the Capi- tal Press. “They wish to have something that is wheat that they can eat.” Former Washington governor heads USMCA coalition and Washington wines will be able to market in British Columbia, where A group of trade asso- under NAFTA Canada ciations, businesses and could prohibit them,” he advocacy groups, headed said. The agreement also by Democrat Gary Locke — a former ambassa- requires Mexican work- dor to China, governor ers be paid higher wages of Washington and U.S. when building auto parts, commerce secretary — which helps level the have launched a new coa- playing field and reduces lition to support the incentive for passage of the the auto industry U.S. Mexico Can- to move factories ada Agreement. to Mexico, Locke said. “I’m not a sup- porter of most of He said he will the president’s personally lobby members of Con- policies but we gress for passage Gary Locke have to look at this and noted for- particular agree- ment,” Locke told Capi- mer USDA Secretary and tal Press. Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, “It sets a higher stan- also a Democrat, supports dard for Mexico and Can- USMCA. ada trade and benefits “We need to look at American growers and the agreement. It’s so consumers. So that’s why much better than ripping this is a large bipartisan up NAFTA and walking effort,” Locke said. away, as the president The Pass USMCA Coa- originally proposed,” lition is a bipartisan effort Locke said. The agreement is a advocating swift passage of USMCA by highlight- modern precedent for ing its unique benefits to freer and fairer trade America’s workers, con- in North America and sumers, businesses and throughout the world, he said. economy. “Ratifying it quickly Locke is honorary chairman. The coali- will improve our trading tion was announced Feb. relationships with Can- 13. The executive direc- ada and Mexico, cre- tor is Republican Rick ate more jobs for Amer- Dearborn, former dep- ican workers, and propel uty chief of staff to Pres- international trade into ident Donald Trump the 21st century,” he and who worked in the said. Trade with Canada George W. Bush admin- istration and was chief and Mexico supports 14 of staff to Jeff Sessions million U.S. jobs across when he was in the U.S. many sectors. Senate. These workers — and Locke said USMCA the industries they sup- is “certainly an improve- port — drive billions of ment” over the North dollars in annual U.S. American Free Trade exports. In 2017, the Agreement that it will U.S. exported more than replace. $275 billion in goods “It benefits dairy, poul- to Mexico and nearly try and eggs with fewer $350 billion in goods to restrictions in Canada, Canada. By DAN WHEAT Capital Press Potato contracting legislation advances By BRAD CARLSON Capital Press The Idaho House Agri- cultural Affairs Committee on Feb. 26 endorsed legisla- tion that would formalize the process grower associations have used for 50-plus years in negotiating annual con- tracts with processors of fried potato products. Supporters said House Bill 121 would help keep proces- sors from negotiating directly with individual members of grower associations, as they contend a processor did last spring, striking unfair deals that ultimately impact mar- ket-wide pricing. Opponents said the pro- cessor did nothing illegal or in bad faith, and that the leg- islation is not needed since the longstanding voluntary negotiations between associ- ations and processors work well overall while preserv- ing free-market opportuni- ties. Moreover, HB 121 is vague and does not impose non-compliance penalties, they said. The bill establishes an Oct. 31-March 15 negotiating period for grower associations and processors. Negotiations between processors and indi- vidual grower members of the association would not be allowed until after the period passes with no agreement in hand. Associations must be nonprofit cooperatives with at least 40 member growers. The committee briefly con- sidered sending the bill back for revision or amendment — Rep. Jerald Raymond, R-Menan, questioned its lack of oversight and penalties as well as its consequences — but ultimately voted to send it as-is to the full House with a do-pass recommendation. “The pricing imbalance in the market is real, and I have never seen it in my 30-year career,” said Dan Hargraves of the Southern Idaho Potato Cooperative. Membership in SIPCO is voluntary. The cooperative represents about half of Idaho growers and impacts the market broadly. Some growers will be at an approximately 50-cent-per hundredweight price disad- vantage as a result of negoti- ating independently, he said. Negotiations between grower associations and pro- cessors have worked well over many years, benefit- ing the parties while provid- ing a price benchmark for the broader industry includ- ing seed potatoes and dehy- drated products, Hargraves said. WE SPECIALIZE IN BULK BAGS! 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