Rural Laws: April, 2001 - Number #9

Idaho. The Idaho Legislature in March 2001 on a 41-28 vote raised the percentage of farm workers covered by minimum wage legislation from 70 to 95 percent of the 15,000 to 33,000 seasonal farm workers in the state by eliminating the small farm exemption. Under federal law, farm employers who employ 10 or more workers for 10 or more weeks in a quarter, or pay quarterly wages of at least $20,000, must pay hired workers at least the federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour. Depending on the time of year, there are 15,000 to 33,000 farm workers in Idaho, and the state said that, in 2000, 55 percent were paid between $5.15 and $6.15 an hour.

Idaho's Legislature is the most Republican--89 percent, and is 100 percent white. On February 20, college student protesters invaded the Idaho Senate chamber to demand a fair minimum wage for farm workers. Hispanics doubled in Idaho in the 1990s to 101,000. In 1996, the Legislature required farmers to provide workers compensation coverage for their workers.

Idaho is the leading potato producer, and overproduction has reduced potato prices. Some 516 million cwt were produced in the US during the 2000 season.

Apples. China produced over one billion 42-pound boxes of apples in 1998, and is expanding its apple production. The US produces about 250 million, 42-pound boxes, including 100 million boxes of apples a year in Washington. The US market is estimated to be about 150 million boxes a year, and low prices are leading to orchards being bulldozed in the six Columbia basin counties of Yakima, Benton, Franklin, Grant, Adams and Walla Walla.

Apple production has not been very profitable for Washington growers- growers lost about $750 million between 1998 and 2000, and the federal government provided $138 million to apple producers. In December 2000, growers were receiving an average price of $13.08 for a 42-pound box of apples, but their costs of production were estimated to be $13.23. The 2000 crop was estimated to be 98 million boxes; many apples were not picked because of low prices.

The UFW in April 2001 announced that it would aim to help the apple industry with a Fair Apple Campaign, urging consumers to eat more Washington apples, and urging Mexico to import more Washington apples.

In 1998, Gov. Gary Locke said adequate housing for farm workers was the number one housing need in Washington. In 2001, some $1.75 million was available to loan to farmers to build infrastructure such as water and sewer systems for farm worker housing. Washington state estimates that about 37,000 migrant farm workers come into the state each year.

John Stucke, "Union preparing big apple campaign," Spokesman-Review, April 3, 2001. Betsy Z. Russell, "Protesters disrupt Senate," Spokesman-Review, February 20, 2001.