Last season, because of a lack of workers, some orchardists were unable to pick their crops in a timely manner, resulting in economic losses, said Mike Gempler, executive director of the Washington Growers League. “There was a major shortage.” Stricter border control by immigration authorities is thought to be the major reason why fewer workers are entering the country from Mexico, Gempler said. Closer scrutiny of documentation is also having an impact. It’s believed that most seasonal agricultural workers in the country do not have legal documentation. Should the government introduce mandatory electronic verification of documents at the time of […]