The Vital Role of Immigrant Labor in the U.S. Dairy Industry
The U.S. dairy industry relies heavily on immigrant labor, particularly in California, the nation's top milk producer. Manuel Castro, a Salvadoran immigrant who has lived in California for 30 years, plays a crucial role in getting milk to market. He works for Moga Transportation, a company that transports milk from farms to processing plants.
Moga Transportation is owned by Harwinder Singh Brar, a Punjabi Sikh who immigrated to the U.S. from India in 1998. Brar says that the trucking industry relies heavily on immigrant labor and that without it, the industry would "shut down."
A study by the National Milk Producers Federation indicates that eliminating immigrant labor from the dairy industry would lead to a 90% increase in retail milk prices. Wisconsin dairy farmer John Rosenow says that he would not be able to afford to pay American workers the wages they demand, as they would only work 40-50 hours a week.
Immigrant workers like Castro are essential to the U.S. dairy industry. They work long hours, often starting as early as 1 or 2 in the morning and finishing around 10 or 11 at night. Their dedication ensures that milk continues to reach consumers across the country.
6 Comments
Matzomaster
The dairy industry should invest in training American workers for the jobs they need.
Muchacho
We need to remember that immigrants are people just like us, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
Comandante
It's unfair that American workers are losing jobs to immigrants who are willing to work for lower wages.
Coccinella
Without immigrant labor, the price of milk would skyrocket. We need to acknowledge and appreciate their hard work.
Muchacho
We need to stop using immigrants as scapegoats for our economic problems.
Mariposa
Immigrant workers are taking advantage of our social welfare system and putting a strain on our resources.