After months of negotiations, Colorado farmers are breathing a sigh of relief at the news that a bipartisan Senate immigration bill is about to reach the Senate floor, presenting Congress with their best opportunity to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
For the past several years immigration has been a hot button issue in American politics. In several states, tough new immigration laws designed to curb the flow of undocumented workers were passed, often hurting farmers by cutting into available farm labor.
Sporadic and punitive immigration policies have disproportionately affected farmers. “This broken immigration system was affecting every corner of our economy in our state,” said Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, chief author of the immigration bill. “It is affecting them in different ways. The peach growers have one view of things, the cattle ranchers had another, the immigrant-rights community had another, the ski resorts and the high-tech community, all of them are being hurt by the broken system.”
In response to a climate of anti-immigration, many farmers have been pressuring Congress to pass work visa reforms, making it simpler for farmers to employ non-residents.
For more information about Colorado farm loans and agricultural financing opportunities, contact a Farm Plus Financial representative by calling 866-929-5585 or by visiting www.farmloans.com/contact.
Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer