FERGUS FALLS, Minn. — Pat Luneman used to meet his dairy farm's labor needs from within the local community, but that's changed over the last decade.
His employees are now mostly Hispanic, said the Clarissa dairyman and Minnesota Milk Producers Association president.
His challenge is the U.S. Visa system.
Luneman isn't alone in his frustration with the U.S. Immigration policy. Similar comments were made at Immigration Reform meetings sponsored by the Minnesota Business Immigration Coalition and Advocacy Partners. The meetings took place in six Minnesota communities including Fergus Falls.
His workers use a seasonal, short-term visa, but they really need an extended visa.
"In the dairy industry, we don't want them for weeks or for months," he said. "We want them for years...Whatever we come up with, we need a long-term work force. We want professionals in our dairies and not something that has them coming and going."
Otter Tail Ag Enterprises CEO Anthony Hicks described the situation from an employee's perspective.
Hicks, originally from England and now a naturalized U.S. citizen, helped start hog operations before becoming CEO. The process is frustrating, he said. He went from office to office doing the same paperwork.
John Keller, executive director of the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, understood the frustration.
"We need some kind of predictability," he said. "...The system is.. dysfunctional."
There needs to be an understanding of the role of these new Americans, said Bill Blazar, senior vice president of pubic affairs and business development with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.
Immigrant labor isn't taking jobs away from U.S. citizens, Blazar said. The state has a persistent worker shortage and needs to look elsewhere for workers.
"I don't think most Minnesotans understand how much immigrants contribute to the economy," he said.
The Immigration Reform meetings started in 2007 but the Minnesota chamber felt it was time to renew the push for immigration reform.
The group talked about training needs for immigrant workers and the challenges immigrant workers' children face getting an education.
They discussed the need for training of workers in all areas of agriculture from equine, horticulture and more. They suggested an apprenticeship program in agriculture. It's done in Europe.
Blazer and Keller called on the group to contact lawmakers about immigration policy reform.
