Our good friend Jay Martini referred to this topic in a post called Harvest of Hypocrisy this week, and now I see another reference to PBS coverage of the supposed seemy underbelly of the tomato industry in Florida. From the PBS Web site:
Think slavery is a thing of the past? Think again. The Coalition for Immokalee Workers (CIW), a group comprised of 4,000 low-wage, immigrant workers in southern Florida, says the practice still exists in the Sunshine State's tomato fields.Lucas Benitez of CIW told NOW that the group is pressing Governor Charles Crist to take aggressive action against the instances of virtual and actual slavery uncovered earlier this month by Gourmet Magazine.
TK: Let's hope the crescendo of media coverage on this issue at least strives for balance, and that association and industry leaders can present a credible and clear response to the sensational charges.
Other headlines this morning.....
An estimated 61 million Americans are affected by the department's nutrition programs. Recently, the recession has boosted demand for assistance. A record 31.8 million people received food stamps at the latest count and other programs are at or near record levels.Kelly Brownell, a professor at Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, said he did not believe there was sufficient evidence to show USDA's programs were leading to more obese Americans.
"I believe it comes up in the context of critics of these programs using this as an excuse for wanting to cut back," he said
According to civil rights experts, the investigation, one of the few times the government has ever conducted a civil rights investigation into a local police agency's immigration enforcement practices, could be a sign of things to come, as the Obama administration moves toward more comprehensive immigration reform. "It's hard to imagine this happening in the previous administration. In fact, it seemed to me that the Bush administration encouraged the Sheriff Arpaios of the nation to do what they're doing," says Kevin Johnson, dean of the University of California-Davis School of Law. "It is a signal the Obama administration is going to look a lot more carefully at the proper role for local government in immigration enforcement."
Kroger Co. said yesterday that its profits rose 8 percent in the fourth quarter as shoppers increasingly bypassed restaurants, going to the grocery more often and loading their carts with store brands at record rates. Its stock soared 10 percent. Net income rose to $349.2 million, or 53 cents per share, from $322.9 million, or 48 cents per share, the previous year. Total sales edged up to $17.26 billion from $17.23 billion, with gasoline revenues dropping with prices at store service stations. Excluding fuel, sales increased 4.4 percent. While Kroger executives voiced caution about the near-term economy, the nation's largest traditional grocery store chain is benefiting from recession
The bank estimates that up to three trillion dollars of public and private loans in developing countries must be repaid this year. Some nations have enough foreign currency reserves, but others will struggle to find new financing to pay their existing debts.
This omnibus bill amended past language and clearly denoted that E-Verify should remain operational until September 30th. This was clearly the right move for Congress. But next time around, Congress should not wait until September 29, 2009 to decide whether or not to extend the program. Congress must work to re-authorize the program for longer periods of time. Re-authorizing E-Verify every couple of months only imbeds doubt in the American employers and causes unnecessary concern to those who are trying to do their due-diligence when hiring workers.
New Zealand company Compac has signed a multi-million dollar contract with one of Chile's largest growers' co-operatives to install a completely automated fruit sorting system.Based 120 kms north of Santiago, the Propal co-operative is currently Chile's largest avocado producer and second largest lemon producer.In 2007, Propal called for tenders to upgrade its existing four hectare plant in order into meet increased annual growth forecasts.Compac won the tender, presenting a solution that its management describe as arrived at through 'typical Kiwi ingenuity'.
The supermarket Wm Morrison said yesterday it would open small shops for the first time as the economic downturn gave it scope to speed up its expansion.Marc Bolland, chief executive, said the group had identified more than 100 locations for new stores and had halted a £1bn share buyback to "preserve its firepower". The recession has weighed heavily on commercial property values and Morrisons said it wanted "maximum financial flexibility" to go shopping for stores.
Mexican drug cartels buying public support LA Times
Labels: immigration
