http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/09/30/MNG28LFTUQ1.DTL

I don't like this gradual colonization from the South either, but we've gotten ourselves in a weird pickle. Just a little thing like the food we eat but no one wants to do the work. Essentially, in the last X number of years, our food has been routed to our tables by a crowd we sorta resent. Weird.

Excerpts:

Feinstein predicted sharp increases in the prices of fruits and vegetables, and a revolt by consumers if they find themselves faced with "buying lettuce at $2 a head or more, or broccoli at $5 a head or anything else because of the dramatic shortage."

"This is tragic for us," said Sen. Barbara Boxer. "We could lose these farmers. We could lose agriculture."

In Watsonville, raspberry and blackberry grower John Eiskamp of J.E. Farms said he is about 10 to 15 percent short of workers, and compensates by working longer days.

He said he doesn't know if the shortages are due to fewer migrants coming over the border or their leaving for other industries. "My expectation is it's probably going to get worse, whatever the reasoning is," Eiskamp said. "I don't see any solution happening."

As far as Americans doing the work, Eiskamp said, "I've never had an American apply to work for me or express any interest in working in the jobs that I offer now."

Bontadelli, the Santa Cruz Brussels sprout grower, said he doesn't care which farmworker program Congress settles on as long as it settles on something.

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1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

maybe we should resolve to slavery again? what's better than free labor?

j/k

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Audi TT

It's still going on in Africa..... not too late to restart....