Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Grower's Association

News & Issues

 

Category: Labor

E-verify Removed – But it is not over yet!

April 12, 2011 – 6:57 am |  Filed Under: 
Some good news! Under the leadership of Senator John Bulloch, the Senate voted last night to remove the E-Verify mandate for private employers. There is still some parts of the bill dealing with enforcement that are not favorable, but this is a huge step in the right direction. Senator Bulloch shared the industry letter that you signed with each senator and referenced it during his comments. With your help, we made a difference in the future of this bill. Thank you for adding your name to the industry letter.  BUT, it isn't over.  The bill now goes back to the
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ACTION REQUESTED!!

March 11, 2011 – 1:47 pm |  Filed Under: 
       CALL TO ACTION To all Georgia Growers and Agribusinesses, As you know the Georgia House of Representatives has passed House Bill 87 (Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011).  The fight is now in the Senate!! The Senate Judiciary Committee passed Senate Bill 40 out of committee last week and we expect it to be on the floor of the Senate for debate as early as Monday of next week.  This weekend is the time to contact your legislators.  We have been told we have made progress with the Senate leadership and some are asking us to reach
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IMMIGRATION LEGISLATIVE UPDATE – 3/8/11

March 10, 2011 – 12:47 pm |  Filed Under: 
To all Georgia Growers, As you may be aware, two bills have been introduced in the Georgia legislature dealing with immigration and undocumented workers. Both bills would require all Georgia companies with more than 5 employees to use the Federal E-verify program when hiring new W-2 employees, including seasonal workers. There are also other provisions in the bills imposing potential fines and criminal charges on the employer, even when the employee may have I-9 documents. House Bill 87 (Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011), http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20112012/108553.pdf  passed in the Georgia State House of Representatives, Thursday, March 3, 2011 by
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BISHOP, BLACK MEET TO DISCUSS PROPOSED FEDERAL BUDGET CUTS

March 10, 2011 – 8:10 am |  Filed Under: 
  Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) met last week with Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black in Atlanta to review how proposed budget cuts passed by the U.S. House last week might affect Georgia agriculture. According to published reports, Black and Bishop prioritized federal funding for the University of Georgia and maintaining payments to agricultural producers when commodity prices drop, but Black believes it’s unrealistic to expect federal funding for those and other ag programs to continue at current levels. “The paradigm that we’re currently in in regards to spending more than we’re bringing in is a paradigm that must shift,” Black
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GFVGA Statement on New H2A Regulations:

February 24, 2010 – 12:04 pm |  Filed Under: 
Revisions to H-2A (Temporary Agricultural Worker Visa Program) Rule Places Heavy Burden on Georgia Growers The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association is opposed to the US Department of Labor’s recent revisions to the H2A program which could drastically reduce Georgia’s production of fruits and vegetables.  The new regulations will significantly increase Georgia’s fruit and vegetable producer’s labor costs by more than 25%.  This includes at least a $1.86/hour wage rate increase, decreased flexibility in managing or assigning workers’ duties, creating additional burdensome paperwork and will add substantially to users’ risk of fines, enforcement actions and litigation.  Although the Department
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GFVGA Comments On H2A Proposed Regulations

October 15, 2009 – 11:45 am |  Filed Under: 
Thomas Dowd, Administrator Office of Policy Development and Research Employment and Training Administration U.S. Department of Labor 200 Constitution Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20210 Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed revision of the 2008 H2A regulations. Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association commented extensively when the present regulations were proposed and were pleased with the final rule approved in January, 2009. We hope our comments concerning the effects of these proposed revisions on Georgia growers will be given equal consideration. The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association represents more than 400 members
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