California Agriculture: Water, Labor, and Immigration

April 15, 2016
Kalmanovitz Appellate Courtroom, UC Davis Law School

Conference Report

This conference examines current issues in agriculture and farm labor. California agriculture and the farm workforce are changing. Scarce water, expensive land, and changing consumer preferences have increased the importance of fruits, nuts, vegetables, and horticultural specialties or FVH crops in the state’s farm sales. There are fewer newcomers to the farm workforce, prompting farm employers to take steps to satisfy current workers, stretch them with mechanical aids and substitute machines for hand workers, and supplement with H-2A guest workers.

There is no charge to participate, but seating is limited. You must RSVP by April 1, 2016 at https://registration.ucdavis.edu/Item/Details/206 if you plan to attend. Registration is required to attend any portion of the conference.

We are grateful for the support of the UCD Ag Issues and Gifford Centers, the Giannini, Rosenberg, and WKF foundations, and the ALRB. For further information, contact Philip Martin.

Printable Agenda (PDF)

Agenda

8:15 AM: Check-in and Continental Breakfast

8:45 AM: Welcome

• Philip Martin, UC Davis, Colin Carter, UC Davis

9:00 AM: Water, Climate and California Agriculture

• Chair: Dan Sumner, UC Davis
• Louise Jackson, UC Davis
• Paul Wenger, CA Farm Bureau Federation
• Discussants: Dan Dooley, New Current Water, Dan Sumner, UC Davis

10:30 AM: Break

10:45 AM: Farm Labor in 2016

• Chair: William Gould, ALRB
• Farm production and employment changes, Philip Martin, UC Davis; Martin's presentation
• Changing farm worker characteristics, Daniel Carroll, DOL
• Discussants: Nathan Dorn, Food Origins, Muhammad Akhtar, EDD-LMID, Don Villarejo, Davis

12:15 PM: Lunch

1:15 PM: Immigration Reform and Farm Workers

• Chair: Kevin Johnson, UC-Davis
• From IRCA to AgJOBS to H-2A, Philip Martin, UC Davis; Martin's presentation
• DACA and DAPA Eligible Farm Workers, Ed Kissam, JBS; Kissam's presentation
• Discussants: Amagda Perez, UC Davis, Cynthia Rice, CLRA

2:45 PM: Break

3:00 PM: ALRB Issues in 2016

• Chair: Genevieve Shiroma, ALRB
• ALRB activities: Past, Present, and Future, William Gould, ALRB
• Remedies for Unauthorized Workers, Kate Griffith, Cornell
• Discussants: Martha West, UC Davis; Tom Sobel, ALRB

4:30 PM: Adjourn