West Coast tree fruit producers dodged a bullet this year. In Washington, hailstorms that shrank the crops and cool fall weather that extended apple harvest enabled most growers to get their fruit picked despite a labor shortage, according to Dan Fazio, director of employment services at the Washington State Farm Bureau. And in California, a summer heat wave reduced crop yields and labor needs. But the Farm Bureau expects labor shortages will continue in the future, putting the squeeze on small growers. “I think it’s going to get worse,” Fazio said. “Everyone is saying the same thing: The workers are […]