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Florida Citrus Mutual H-2A Resolution

Florida Citrus Mutual Approves H-2A Resolution

January 2008

The Florida Citrus Mutual Board of Directors recently adopted a resolution that encourages government decision makers to incorporate agricultural housing into land development plans.

Mutual plans to proactively distribute the resolution to state and local governments along with an educational packet on H-2A guest worker regulations.

The resolution states the Mutual board supports the overall creation of a detailed plan of action for citrus producing counties in the state of Florida to incorporate farm-worker housing into all county comprehensive and land development plans while acknowledging the urgency and importance of this issue to the Florida citrus industry.

“As more growers turn to a guest worker program for labor, where to put their housing is going to grow as an issue,” said Michael W. Sparks, executive VP/CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual. “Policymakers need to understand the importance of allocating some of their long range plans to agricultural housing.”

The Polk County Board of Commissioners recently denied a citrus grower’s request to build farm worker housing in the Lake Buffum area after residents actively protested the plan. The residents believe the housing would be a magnet for crime and unsavory behavior. Sparks said those fears are misguided.

“Mutual wants to communicate that H-2A is a strictly controlled program whereby growers set specific rules based on overarching regulations. This is not a housing “free for all” where private landlords rent the housing and no control measures are in place,” he said. “Growers want to maintain a peaceful environment and have the power to do so under the regulations. Without reliable, steady workers, crops don’t get harvested.”

Sparks said Mutual wants to make sure policymakers understand agriculture is an economic engine in Florida, especially to the rural counties in the state’s interior and citrus alone creates a $9 billion economic impact while generating millions of dollars in state and local taxes.

“Having a reliable workforce is essential to keep this engine running. If local, state and federal governments cannot understand this and set policy accordingly, then our future is in serious jeopardy,” he said.