Coloradans are about to enjoy the bounty of the summer: Rocky Ford melons, Palisade peaches, and Olathe sweet corn.
But the farmers who grow that produce have a big problem. There just aren’t enough workers.
“I cannot find domestic workers who want to work seasonally at any price,” said David Harold of the Tuxedo Corn Company in Olathe. He and his father grow a variety of crops on their 1,300-plus acre farm, including the sweet corn that’s put Olathe on the map.
The tender kernels on those cobs require some delicate handling. In fact, those cobs have to be hand-picked. And the lack of labor is a constant worry.
“I don’t see how we will be able to continue to operate how we have traditionally operated,” said Harold. “But what scares me is not operating. Not being able to continue.”
The problem may be especially acute with a crop like sweet corn, but across the state, agricultural producers are struggling to find people to do the hard work of planting, weeding and harvesting. It’s a problem many believe only Congress can fix, if it can get past long-standing roadblocks.
https://www.cpr.org/2023/06/21/farm-bill-migrant-worker-incentives-congress/