by Gary – May 22nd, 2008
It is with great sadness and tremendously heavy hearts we report of the passing of Lee V. McCoy, known to many of his legions of friends and colleagues as the “RealMcCoy”. Lee lost his battle with cancer early morning Thursday May 22 in a Georgia hospital, admitted the Monday before in a bout with pneumonia.
Please find details regarding Lee’s memorial services at the end of this news post.
For nearly a decade until making a move into a new career opportunity last year, Lee was a regional representative of this radio network. He travelled the region and nation, and occassionally overseas, newsgathering and representing the network from his home location Read the rest of this entry »
Filed as: Agri View – Alabama – Beef – Cattle – Citrus – Citrus Expo News – Corn – Cotton – Crop Forecasts – Dairy – Energy – FL Commissioner Report – Farm Bill – Farm Bureau – Field Crops – Florida – Forestry – General – Georgia – Labor – Land – Livestock – Nursery Crops – Peanuts – Podcast – Pork – Poultry – Soybeans – Specialty Crops – Sugar – Sunbelt Ag Expo – TSA – Trade – USDA-NASS – USDA-NRCS – Vegetables – Weather
by Cindy – April 16th, 2008
The Department of Homeland Security has made some changes to the “No Match” letters being sent to employers of workers with social security number issues, but American Farm Bureau officials say problems remain for producers who hire temporary labor.
Report (1:00 mp3)
HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRE YET?
Filed as: Labor
by Cindy – April 2nd, 2008
The U.S. Department of Labor has granted a two-week extension of the comment period for the proposed overhaul of the migrant farm worker visa program. The original deadline was Monday. Under the program changes, employers would be required to seek U.S. employees for a longer period of time before they could recruit foreign workers.
The H-2A visa program is designed to help farmers and ranchers hire seasonal workers from Mexico and elsewhere. The administration wants to allow growers to apply directly through the federal government, rather than state agencies. The Department of Labor envisions a transition to an Internet-based submission system in the future.
Report (1:00 mp3)
Filed as: General – Labor – Specialty Crops – Vegetables
by Cindy – February 11th, 2008
American Farm Bureau labor analysts are studying changes to the H2A program proposed by the Bush administration last week.
Report (1:00 mp3)
HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR CENSUS QUESTIONNAIRE YET?
Filed as: General – Labor
by Cindy – January 15th, 2008
Immigration was a major topics at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting this week in New Orleans.
Report (1:00 mp3)
FEBRUARY 4TH IS THE DEADLINE - HAVE YOU RETURNED YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE YET?
Filed as: Farm Bureau – Florida – Labor
by Cindy – January 10th, 2008
Florida Farm Bureau is spearheading an effort to send pieces of twine attached to note cards to Florida’s congressional members with a message about the need for comprehensive immigration reform that includes a legal guest worker program.
Read more here.
Report (:30 mp3)
Filed as: Farm Bureau – Florida – Labor
by Cindy – November 29th, 2007
The U.S Department of Labor and the Florida D.B.P.R. will hold three seminars the first week of December concerning the H-2A visa program, housing and transportation safety, and worker documentation as it relates to farm labor law enforcement. These meetings will be on Monday, December 3rd at Nora Mayo Hall in Winter Haven, Tuesday, December 4th, in Palmetto at Manatee Convention Center, and Wednesday, December 5th, in Lorida at the Lorida Civic Center at 1909 Blessings Avenue. All the meetings start promptly at 5:30 PM and will include field investigators from the D.B.P.R. and U.S. DOL . At this time there are no registration requirements - so plan to attend and get all your farm labor contracting law questions answered!
Filed as: Florida – Labor
by Gary – October 10th, 2007
Cindy’s audio report including comments from FFBF Vice president Rick Roth of Belle Glade on how the “No-Match” rule would affect his operation.
Report (1:00 mp3)
Wednesday, October 10, 2007 - 11:43 PDT SAN FRANCISCO - A federal judge in San Francisco barred the Bush administration today from threatening to prosecute businesses for knowingly employing illegal immigrants if they fail to fire workers whose Social Security numbers don’t match government records.
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer issued a nationwide preliminary injunction barring the government from enforcing the so-called no-match rule, which was scheduled to take effect last month but was blocked by temporary restraining orders from Breyer and another judge. Today’s order remains in effect until a suit by labor unions challenging the rule goes to trial sometime next year or until a higher court intervenes. Read the rest of this entry »
Filed as: Alabama – Citrus – Florida – Georgia – Labor – Nursery Crops – Specialty Crops – Vegetables
by Gary – October 9th, 2007
Sponsoring this news posting: 
Here is some preliminary information regarding the U.S. Department of Labor’s Annual Agricultural Seminars. Speakers are expected to cover topics such as H2A, housing and transportation safety, and worker documentation (Social Security Cards). Additionally, there will be segments on joint employment, independent contractor vs. employee, and field sanitation regulations.
For the dates and locations click here for Read the rest of this entry »
Filed as: Citrus – Florida – Grower Trials – Labor – Vegetables
by Cindy – October 5th, 2007
The House Agriculture Committee heard from farmers concerned with the growing shortage of farm labor in the United States. One of those who testified was Rick Roth, a grower from Belle Glade and vice president of Florida Farm Bureau.
Report (1:00 mp3)
Filed as: Farm Bureau – Florida – Labor – Specialty Crops – Sugar – Vegetables
by Randall – October 5th, 2007
Mason Smoak, a Florida citrus grower from Highlands County, was in our nation’s capitol Thursday to testify before the House Agriculture Committee on the importance of ag labor.
Report (1:00 mp3)
Filed as: Citrus – Florida – Labor
by Randall – October 5th, 2007
Labor issues were discussed in Washington D.C. Thursday, as the House Agriculture Committee heard testimony from various folks including a citrus grower from Florida.
Report (1:00 mp3)
Filed as: Citrus – Florida – Labor
by Cindy – October 4th, 2007
The House Agriculture committee held a hearing yesterday to review the labor needs of American Agriculture thanks to the persistence of Congressman Tim Mahoney of Florida.
Report (1:00 mp3)
Filed as: Florida – Labor
by Gary – October 3rd, 2007
In this report, the U S House Agriculture Committee has scheduled a hearing on agriculture labor, and Florida citrus grower Mason Smoak has been invited to testify before the committee in the Nation’s Capitol this Thursday. Report (2:00 mp3)
Filed as: Citrus – Florida – Labor
by Gary – September 13th, 2007
In this report, which will air on the radio network Tuesday September 18th, some news and views regarding the ironies Florida’s agriculture industry is dealing with as one of the state’s most consistent employers and economic engines. Not only are farmers wanting to provide decent housing for legal temporary workers being turned down by rural communities in Florida, agriculture services and education programs are also being threatened as state lawmakers work to trim a BILLION dollars from the state budget due to the slowdown in the state’s economy.
Report (2:00 mp3)
Filed as: Citrus – Florida – Labor
by Cindy – September 8th, 2007
A federal court in San Francisco blocked the Department of Homeland Security’s no-match rule from taking effect as scheduled, but the Social Security Administration is fighting the temporary delay in sending out letters.
Find out more here.
Report (1:30 mp3)
Filed as: General – Labor
