California grape growers are facing a harvest crisis as stepped-up US immigration enforcement limits the labour pool.
Nat DiBuduo, CEO of Allied Grape Growers, held urgent meetings with influential US senator John McCain of Arizona and the US agriculture secretary Mike Johanns in June to lobby for change in US immigration laws.
'Border security has been a focal point of immigration reform, and labour is going to be short throughout California,' said Dibuduo, whose 600 growers supply about 100 winemakers throughout the state.
'In recent years we have been using more illegal immigrants for work that US citizens do not want to do,' DiBuduo told decanter.com.
But the problem is that labour costs are increasing.
'We are having a hard time enticing people to do this hard work, so we are encouraging lawmakers to pass a comprehensive immigration bill that would include jobs, such as a supervised program for workers to come into the US and then go back to their country or be eligible for US citizenship.'
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I am a South African winemaker myself and have traveled to California in 2003 to work there for a vintage. I loved the place, loved the people, loved learning from the Americans and most of all loved the social life and the wines. Back in '03 border control was not as strict, but I was very disappointed when I heard they went through with enforcing these new rules, keeping me out of the country and snatching the opportunity to experience another Californian – or US, for that matter - vintage right from under my nose. There's nothing that I would like more then to return for another 2 or 3 months to make wine there again and learn even more this time.
So, I am solidly on the side of the people who want to change immigration laws. Even if it is just in the agricultural sector. Working in this sector is physically very tough, and I did think there'd be trouble if they tightened the immigration laws further. I hope the US government realises this, and do something about it before they do more damage to the wine industry especially. And I for one, would be very happy to learn of these changes so I can start organising my next trip over! Corrien Geleijnse
I think that these laws are correct in this day and age. When you look at the prices that many California wineries are getting for their bottles, they should be able to pay minimum wage, or at least room and board to volunteers. Many Californian bottles are priced at $20, and all the way up to $100 easily. I read so often about new wineries that where created by ex-lawyers, doctors, or businessman who wanted to pursue a dream and are fortunate enough to have been able to with millions that they have made. if they can pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for land, then they should be able to pay for laborers. BAC
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I am a South African winemaker myself and have traveled to California in 2003 to work there for a vintage. I loved the place, loved the people, loved learning from the Americans and most of all loved the social life and the wines. Back in '03 border control was not as strict, but I was very disappointed when I heard they went through with enforcing these new rules, keeping me out of the country and snatching the opportunity to experience another Californian – or US, for that matter - vintage right from under my nose. There's nothing that I would like more then to return for another 2 or 3 months to make wine there again and learn even more this time.
