Taking about...Illegal immigration, Korea, Switchgrass, Farm aid

“It’s not a cake walk down here. At least I know the one thing I don’t have to worry about is losing my labor force because of an immigration raid.”
(Source: New York Times, September 5, 2007)
Steve Scaroni, California produce farmer, talking about why he’s slowly moving his $50 million ag business to Mexico.
>PS: Can’t get cheap, legal field hands in the U.S.? Move the fields to where the cheap, legal ‘hands’ are. Can we say ‘outsourcing?’

“We do not understand why the government is so anxious to allow the U.S. beef import. It is time when a more cautious approach is needed.’’
(Source: Korea Times, September 4, 2007)
Nam Ho-gyeong, head of the Hanwoo Association for the promotion of sales of Korean beef cattle, wondering aloud why top level government officials are still in talks with the USDA about opening up their market to American beef. . . especially after receiving YET ANOTHER shipment containing bones this week.
>PS: He’s using the same language against the U.S. as Dr. Max Thornsberry is using against Canada. Max, meet Nam. Nam, this is Dr. Thornsberry, president of R-CALF. You have a lot in common.
>PPS: Another U.S. packer did it again? Another self-inflicted, ‘Swift’ shot to the foot for American beef!

Point
"Consumers care about where their food is coming from and how it's produced. It (COOL) creates at least a sense that companies are tracking where the food is coming from. You can't get that now." Joseph Mendelson, legal director of the Center for Food Safety.
Counterpoint
"The requirement is simply too restrictive and demanding, especially given today's globalized economy. Meat producers have enough adequate safety checks in place for consumers without this regulation." Jeremy Russell, spokesman for the National Meat Association.
(Source: Detroit News, September 3, 2007)

“We can get to a beer, about a 5 percent alcohol solution. We'd like to be able to get to a wine. We'd like to be able to get to about a 15 percent solution."
(Source: Washington Post, September 6, 2007)
George Douglas, a spokesman for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory talking about the advances that need to be made before switchgrass is a viable alternative to corn.
>PS: Are we still arguing food vs fuel? Will switchgrass be the answer? Stay tuned.

“Farmers are never going to survive if they don’t have as allies the people who want this good food. New York has a huge density of eaters and a density of people who are doing excellent things. There are restaurants, farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture programs, even people who are growing food in the city and teaching people how to grow it.”
(Source: New York Times, September 7, 2007)
Carolyn Mugar, executive Director of Farm Aid, explaining why the event will take place in New York City this year.
>PS: Farm Aid fights valiantly against ‘industrial farming.’ Their ancestors were called Luddites.

“I can't imagine that these errors continue to be made. Food safety is not at issue. It's a compliance issue. It doesn't help our reputation when we can't get it right. It undermines our credibility."
(Source: Forbes.com, September 5, 2007)
Ben Nelson, U.S. Senator, Nebraska calling for more oversight of federal beef inspectors and beef exports after yet another blunder was revealed this week.

“The American consumer is equally responsible for the influx of migrant workers to the United States. All of us have benefited greatly from the migration of Latino labor these last 20 years. Our homes have been built by undocumented hands, our roads have been widened by illegal workers, our universities are being built by undocumented construction workers. And practically all of our food is harvested, processed and served by Latino immigrant workers. We are all responsible for this migration one way or another.”
(Source: Appalachian States University News, September 6, 2007)
Paul Cuadros, award-winning author, speaking about the growing number of Latino workers immigrating to North Carolina and the nation at Appalachian State University’s fall convocation.
>PS: He said the silent (and occasionally not so silent) migration of Latino workers began in the late 20th century and was orchestrated by U.S. corporations and the government actively seeking cheap labor.

Point
"Unlawful employment is one of the key magnets drawing illegal aliens across our borders. When illegal aliens use fraudulent documents or engage in identity theft, they not only exploit a vulnerability, they also cause real harm to U.S. citizens. We will pursue egregious violators by seeking criminal charges and continue to deploy tools such as the new social security no-match guidelines to help businesses comply with the law." Julie L. Myers, assistant secretary of Homeland Security for ICE. "
Counterpoint
“The immigration raid on Koch Foods was the result of Congress’ failure to enact comprehensive reform. We understand that immigration officials need to do their jobs and enforce the laws, but we are saddened that they do it in a way that pulls families apart and sends immigrants further into the shadows. More than anything, we need our lawmakers to get back to the table and, in a civil manner, reform our broken immigration system." Tony Stieritz, director of the Cincinnati archdiocese’s office of Social Action.
(Source: The Catholic Telegraph, September 7, 2007)