Federal immigration program can help young workers

In an animal laboratory in central California's dairy country, Juan Carlos Martin cleaned and fed dozens of cows.

Smuggled through a U.S. border checkpoint in a car at age 13, the Mexico native had hoped for an education and career, but started working full time at the end of high school after an accident incapacitated his father.

Now 23, Martin was surprised to learn this week that he may be eligible for the new federal program that temporarily defers deportation and grants work permits to young illegal immigrants.

Much of the attention surrounding the program that began last Wednesday has focused on students. But researchers say it could also benefit hundreds of thousands of young adults working in low-wage industries such as agriculture.

"The stereotype about the young people who are eligible is that they're college students and academic superstars that speak English perfectly. And that is, of course, not true for all of them," said Ed Kissam, a labor policy researcher.

To be eligible, immigrants must prove they arrived in the United States before they turned 16, were younger than 31 as of June 15, have been living in the country at least five years, are in school or graduated, and have not been convicted of certain crimes.

The program is also open to individuals who haven't graduated high school or received a GED, as long as they enroll in an adult education program, vocational training or even English language instruction.

Agricultural workers like Martin say a work permit and the benefits that come with it could open doors previously closed, leading to better paying jobs, improved working conditions and benefits, and a path to higher education.

"This would change my whole life," said Martin, a high school graduate. "I came to this country with the goal of studying and getting ahead. But you really can't do it without a work permit, a Social Security number and a drivers' license."

Despite the possibilities, workers and advocates say farmworkers and others who are out of school could face significant hurdles when applying: a lack of information about the program, limited English skills, little access to legal advice and limited access to adult school to fulfill the program's education requirement.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals does not grant legal residency or a path to citizenship.

More than half of the 1 million young illegal immigrants eligible for the program are in the labor force, mostly working in low-wage industries — holding either a high school degree or GED, or lacking a degree altogether, an analysis by the Migration Policy Institute shows.

Agriculture could be one of the most affected. Two-thirds of farmworkers are foreign-born Mexicans, the majority without legal status, and many are young — more than half are under the age of 31, according to the National Agricultural Workers Survey. Data from the survey shows that at least 54,000 farmworkers could qualify for the program.

Jaime Hernandez, 23, who picks strawberries in the Santa Maria area for $8 per hour, found out about the program from a friend and is hoping to apply.

Hernandez, who crossed the Arizona desert with his parents at age 11, dropped out of high school in Madera, Calif., to work in the fields and help his family make ends meet. He recently finished a GED course, but never took the diploma exam, because his 10-hour workdays didn't leave him time. He now plans to sign up for the test.

If he is granted a work permit, he plans to get a better-paying job, and go back to school to become a lawyer or a radio engineer.

"I'm afraid, I don't have the money to pay for a lawyer, and I don't know if I am guaranteed acceptance or if I will be rejected," Hernandez said. "But still, it's worth it ... I'm not giving up."

Organizations helping eligible applicants say many workers don't know they may be eligible.

"Working people in the fields, many don't understand the program," said Ramiro Medrano, an adviser with the Pajaro Valley Unified School District near Watsonville, which is holding an information session about the program Sunday. "Most call about their kids. When I ask them, 'How old are you?' it turns out the parents could qualify."

The UFW Foundation has also been holding information sessions and phone meetings with farmworker union locals to spread the word.

For eligible workers who have never filled out an application and speak little English, applying for Deferred Action is intimidating, said the group's Richard Gorman. "Our hope is that once they have papers, once you take away the fear of deportation, that will encourage workers to stand up for themselves and for others in their own workplaces, to form a union or complain to their boss when there is a problem."

Some farmers are worried the program could cut into their workforce. One group of growers, the Nisei Farmers League, is discouraging farmworkers from applying, worried workers or their families could be deported once their addresses are given to the federal government.

Another worry: Because the application for work authorization asks for all previously used Social Security numbers, the information could lead the government to track down agricultural employers who hired the illegal workers and subject them to audits or sanctions, said the league's president, Manuel Cunha.

"There is no safe haven at the end of the day," Cunha said.

Federal immigration officials have said they won't use information from the applications for immigration enforcement against workers. Officials declined to comment on whether information provided by applicants would be used to prosecute or audit employers.

Original Article Here

Close or restructure agriculture colleges, government told

A report into Queensland’s agriculture colleges has recommended they close their doors or undergo a major and costly restructure.

An Ernst & Young review of the state-owned Australian Agriculture Colleges Corporation found the organisation was not commercially viable, and recommended the doors be closed at its four campuses and two residential colleges.

The report says the only alternative would be a "major and costly" restructure of the colleges, which have more than 4000 students and 170 staff.

Agriculture Minister John McVeigh said he would "discuss all options" about the future of the colleges, including a possible takeover by the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE.

He said the previous government had run the company into the ground.

"The ag colleges have been on a course to ruin for seven years. They've been run-down and neglected while running costs have spiralled out of control," Mr McVeigh said.

The organisation was forecast to lose as much as $6.8 million this financial year, he said.But deputy opposition leader and former agriculture minister Tim Mulherin said money spent on the colleges was an investment in the future.

"I never thought I would see the day when the National Party would be closing our state agricultural colleges," Mr Mulherin said.

"People in the bush must be outraged."

AAP

Original Article Here

Mineral County FFA students bring 'Farm to School' initiative to the area

Tribune photo by Megan Grec)

Students from the Mineral County  Technical Center worked

 with the Master Gardners to create raised beds to grow 

vegetables  that will be used in the school systems 

breakfast and lunch programs.

Keyser, W.Va. —

By Megan Greco
mgreco@newstribune.info
Tribune Staff Writer
KEYSER-The Mineral County Technical Center agriculture team will be teaming up with farmers throughout the community to launch the ‘Farm to School’ initiative.  The nation wide program is meant to create a positive relationship between farmers, communities, and schools.
The ‘Farm to School’ initiative will benefit children by allowing them access to locally grown food that will be introduced into the breakfast and lunch program. By providing locally grown food, quality freshness and nutritional value remain much higher. According to the Office of Child Nutrition, children will eat more fruit and vegetables when they have access to a variety of high quality fresh items.
All eleven Mineral County schools will be involved in this new program beginning in 2012-2013 school year. Locally grown food will benefit everyone involved by promoting the local economy, encouraging students to know where their food comes from instead of consuming large amounts of processed foods, and creating a working relationship for students who plan to enter the agriculture field. Teachers Julie Sions, Carol Webb, Katrina Dolly, Charlie Bennett, John Ritchie,  and Nutrition Director Becky Schneider have been vigorously working to bring this program to the students.
The Culinary Arts ProStart classes will also play a role in the ‘Farm to Food’ program by prepping the food before it is sent to the various schools.
Agriculture teacher Julie Sions explained the significants this project carries for her students’  futures. “The agriculture department has been involved with this local food movement so that we can encourage students to become entrepreneurs themselves and learn the process of growing food. We are also hoping that this will be a good marriage between us and our community.”
Agriculture students will also be involved in raising food to supply to the school system. They will continue to tend to the peppers, cucumbers, herbs, and lettuce currently growing in the hydroponic beds at the tech center.

The kickoff to this program took place at the annual FFA banquet at Keyser High School. The meal featured local foods from local farmers, foods grown by students, and foods grown at the tech center. Tom McConnell, director of the West Virginia Small Farms Center spoke to the audience on the importance of local foods for not only health, but also for sustainability.

McConnell is also playing another major role in the Mineral County “Farm to School” program. Because of the dedication of the agriculture students and teachers, McConnell chose Mineral County to be one of only two schools who received High Tunnels for growing.

Original Article Here

Bauchi seeks autonomous College of Agriculture

House of Assembly begins amendment of Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic's establishing law

BY IBRAHIM BELLO

In a bid to facilitate the establishment of an autonomous college of agriculture, the Bauchi State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, began the amendment of the law establishing the Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic.

The amendment followed the adoption of a report by the House Special Committee on the de-merger of the School of Agriculture, Bauchi, from the polytechnic.

Presenting the report, the Chairman of the committee, Baba Abubakar, said the School of Agriculture could not work effectively due to inadequate funding, neglect and bureaucratic bottlenecks.

He added that it was imperative to amend the existing laws of the polytechnic, to fast-track successful take-off of the proposed college.

"The school of agriculture should be an autonomous college from Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, with a governing council," Abubakar said.

"The House should prepare a draft bill for the de-merger of the school to a college, in order to give the concept the enabling environment of sailing through."

He added that the college needed to undergo total renovation and be provided with additional laboratories, classrooms and hostels.

"This is to enable it expand the scope of courses for the manpower needs in the agriculture sector of the state and the country at large."

Abubakar decried the “serious neglect” of the school by the polytechnic management, adding that upgrading the institution to a college would encourage agricultural activity and reduce poverty.

The house, presided over by the Speaker, Yahaya Miya, unanimously adopted the report and ordered its Legal Department to draft a bill for the establishment of a College of Agriculture.

The School of Agriculture, Bauchi, was established in 1971 by the defunct North-Eastern State, to provide manpower in the agriculture sector.

Sequel to the creation of Bauchi State, the school was merged with other tertiary institutions under the polytechnic.

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has accredited all 10 Higher National Diploma (HND) and Ordinary National Diploma (OND) courses run by the school.

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Kibbie to continue promoting agriculture and community colleges in retirement

By Jean Caspers-Simmet
simmet@agrinews.com

EMMETSBURG, Iowa —Senate President Jack Kibbie is retiring, but don't expect him to disappear.

"I'll still promote the community college system and ag interests," Kibbie said in a recent interview at his home on the shore of Five Island Lake in Emmetsburg.

Kibbie is considered the father of Iowa's community college system and helped develop agricultural legislation during more than 30 years in the Iowa House and Senate.

Kibbie, a Democrat, was elected to his first term in the House in 1960 when John F. Kennedy was elected president. After two House terms, he was elected to the Senate in 1964.

"That year we had the largest Democratic landslide in the nation's history with a big majority of Democrats in the House and Senate," Kibbie said.

Gov. Harold Hughes campaigned on having four state-owned vocational technical schools in 1964. Kibbie, as a new senator, was asked to chair the Senate Education Committee.

"That was a surprise to me," Kibbie said. "While I'd worked on trying to save the junior colleges (he had two in his district in Emmetsburg and Estherville), I had never had any education beyond high school and people rolled their eyes at that."

In the 1965 session, he worked to broaden the tax base for junior colleges, which at that time were run by kindergarten to 12 schools. Junior colleges got extra state aid, about $1.25 per day for each student. At that time, 16 junior colleges served 9,000 students.

Kibbie's committee met for six weeks crafting SF 550, which created merged area schools under the Department of Public Instruction, now the Department of Education. Hughes agreed to support the proposal if the schools provided primarily vocational technical education. The bill passed out of committee on a bipartisan vote and was debated on the Senate floor for three days.

Iowa ended up with 15 merged area schools. In Kibbie's area junior colleges in Emmetsburg and Estherville became Iowa Lakes Community College. Sheldon, Sioux City, Waterloo and Calmar, which had no community colleges, started vocational programs and later added liberal arts and sciences.

Kibbie was defeated in 1968.

"It was the biggest favor ever done for me," he said. "I had a young family, and I was farming."

In 1971, he began serving on the Iowa Lakes Community College board, a post he held until 1988 when he was re-elected to the Senate. Today, his son, Pat, sits on the board.

Kibbie said the most important part of SF 550 is that it "married liberal arts and vocational education."

"That is what really made the Iowa community college system stick out above all others in the nation," Kibbie said.

The law called for a small amount of property tax for operating and bricks and mortar with the state general fund as the main method of financing.

"That is where the state has failed to keep up with enrollment," Kibbie said. "Enrollment is now 110,000 full-time students."

Tuition is the only flexible funding source so to keep up, community college boards have hiked tuition.

"We're at the point where tuition is getting so high that people are not going to be able to go to school," Kibbie said. "The state needs to step up to the plate."

Community colleges did pretty well during this year's session, but Kibbie said more support is needed.

He is happy for the role he played in creating Iowa's community college system.

"I got a lot of credit, but no one person can do anything," Kibbie said. "It takes everyone working together to accomplish anything."

Original Article Here