Stillman's Ranch Going Out Of Business?

[Gio]

http://stillmansfarm.wordpress.com/

Say it isn't so....

[bluepotato2]

I'm one of Glenn's market volunteers. The problem extends beyond Stillman's to most farms and orchards in the northeast as well as seasonal help in restaurants and hotels on the Cape, Block Is., etc. Since before 9/11, the Federal Government made significant changes to the H2A worker program on a yearly basis. There's no way of knowing if or how many of the workers you've employed previously will be available. People who know the routines and machines specific to each farm or orchard. Please pass the word and contact your state and federal legislators

[Gio]

Thank you bluepotato2. I have contacted my state and federal legislators including Gov. Patrick. As I said in my letters, I hope they "cut through the H2A red tape so our local farms can continue to hire the foreign workers they desperately need and must rely on."

[mleighn]

I just used this website to write my representative. https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/w...
I'd like to think it can make a difference. Maybe if we all give it a shot...? The folks at Stillman's deserve our strongest efforts.

[purple bot]

I read the blog post and that's not what I'm getting out of it. Sounds like they're having trouble getting their seasonal workers in due to government bullshod, but I don't hear them saying they will go out of business.

[twentyoystahs]

That's because they didn't say it. They did say many farms won't survive this...and then said that they'll make it through this year for sure, but if things don't change, they can't make any guarantees about next year. It is a serious issue and is so ridiculous. Bureaucracy at work.

[purple bot]

Bureaucracy? Ridiculous? Yes, that sounds about right. Hopefully someone at this gov't. agency will develop a sense of logic before it's too late.

[nsenada]

The H-2A program has been impossible to comply with since the overhaul of the regs a few years ago. DOL has been very clear that their main mission is protecting the U.S. workforce, whether or not U.S. businesses fail as a result.