Pointing to concerns that it could provide housing for illegal foreign workers, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday vetoed an agriculture industry-backed bill that would have made it easier to build housing for farmworkers.
In a veto letter, DeSantis said the bill (SB 1082) lacked enforcement related to illegal workers. “The bill’s terms apply to legal migrant farm workers, but the bill does not include the means to enforce this limitation and could pave the way for housing of illegal alien workers,” DeSantis wrote.
The bill would have prevented local governments from inhibiting construction of farmworker housing on agricultural land if the housing met criteria set by the state. Members of the agriculture industry hoped the measure would bolster efforts to bring in more non-immigrant foreign workers. They said some farmers cut back on planting this year and might again next year because of labor shortages related to the state’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
The House and Senate unanimously passed the bill, with industry officials saying the housing would meet federal requirements for temporary foreign workers through the federal H-2A visa program. During a Senate Agriculture Committee meeting in January, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association Chairman David Hill said the proposal was designed so farmers would not be “at the whim” of different counties and municipalities.
“We can grow our crop, but without harvesting it we might as well not grow the crop,” said Hill, an owner of Southern Hill Farms in Clermont. “No one is going to pick the crops that we grow except for the people we’re trying to bring over, in H-2A in particular.” The bill would have imposed restrictions, such as the housing could not have been within 250 feet of property lines adjacent to residential property. Also, any structure within 500 feet of neighboring residential properties would have needed to have trees, walls, berms or fences to provide “screening.”
–News Service of Florida
Deborah Coffey says
Right. And everybody’s blaming Joe Biden for their prices? Really?
John says
DeSantis rides again as always against humanity and respect for all people. He discriminates against everyone that isn’t donating him money. Once again he is show us he isn’t the Christian he claims he is.
c says
Actually, I blame JimboXYZ (or whatever it is) for everything…. Saves time :)
One of my Favorite quotes :
=====================
From Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Novel – The Last Continent
“Some chief went to prison to see the prime minister and the PM said, ‘Mate, your mob can dig it all up and drop it over the edge of the world, no worries.’”
“Why did he have to go to prison?”
“We put all our politicians in prison as soon as they’re elected. Don’t you?”
“Why?”
“It saves time.”
JOE D says
Southern Pa (near Gettysburg in the mountains) Peach and apple growers have depended on “migrant laborers” who start out in the Florida and Texas areas, and move their way North, following the maturing crops. It’s been that way even since I was a 5 year old (my Mother was the daughter of a fruit farmer).
It was(is) HARD labor. also it doesn’t pay very well. All those situations make those jobs “less desirable” for American workers. Hence Government approved legal migrant (not resident) TEMPORARY workers.
Solution is SIMPLE..,no workers… no harvest…no harvest…no apples (or peaches, or green beans, or corn or Tobacco)…so the next time you see an apple for $10 each (believe me it’s coming)…remember Governor Ron!
This was even approved by BOTH sides of the State Legislature! My guess is he didn’t even READ it for the thought out DETAILS.
Maybe we need to dig out that Depression era recipe for MOCK APPLE pie ( when apples were too expensive to buy). No Apples, but layered RITZ crackers and lemon juice and sugar and I THINK a bit of apple cider vinegar….no kidding!!! The recipe used to be on the side of the old RITZ crackers box.
Just Google it! Might come in handy in a few years.
Stephen says
Desantis is in trouble, Florida is now Trump, I mean liberal state. He is lost.
Old Guy says
The labor shortage in agriculture is coming soon to construction and related fields.
dave says
So if I read this right, Farmers want to build housing to keep illegals to work on farms, while unemployment of actual US citizens in Fl is at a 3.3% rate or 361k that appear to not want to work. DeathSantis would rather have a farm lose its crops which actually benefit those consumers in Fl, than build a few shanty huts. What if these workers actually had work visa, or the farmer did it correctly.Employers can go right into the permanent sponsorship of a foreign-born worker(s) position by filing a labor certification with the Department of Labor (DOL). After obtaining a labor certification, US employers must file an immigrant petition with the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on behalf of the foreign worker. Do it legally and then I wonder what this Gov would do.