How are we to reconcile the New York Farm Bureau's perpetual complaint of an agricultural labor shortage, with its fierce and vocal resistance to hiring willing U.S. citizens, including workers from Puerto Rico?

I submit that this obvious contradiction reveals its true agenda, which is to secure a work force whose severely restricted economic and political status leaves them vulnerable and compliant.

Through the H-2A guest worker program, agricultural employers -- in the event they can't meet their labor needs with U.S. workers -- are allowed to hire nonimmigrant foreign workers on a temporary basis. An H-2A worker is consigned to working for only one employer and prohibited from switching employers.

Since his livelihood then depends on whether his employer renews his visa the following year, he is loath to enforce the few rights and protections he is "guaranteed," for fear of reprisal.

The Farm Bureau seeks an expanded H-2A program whereby agricultural employers can skip over the red tape of allowing U.S. workers the chance to perform farm work. Meanwhile, when we hear complaints of an ag labor shortage, let's remember that most workers with other job options will avoid agricultural work as long as it denies them such basic labor protections as overtime and a day of rest.

If in the midst of these realities, the Labor Department succeeds in finding willing U.S. workers to perform agricultural work, let's recognize and appreciate that they are doing their job.

THE REV. RICHARD WITT

Executive Director
Rural and Migrant Ministry
Poughkeepsie