Narrative: e. 1. A.

According to USDA NASS apples, peaches, pumpkins, sweet corn and green beans are Illinois’ top five labor-intensive crops. http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2012/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_State_Level/Illinois/st17_1_038_038.pdf

2) Summarize the agricultural employers’ needs in the State (i.e. are they predominantly hiring local or foreign workers, are they expressing that there is a scarcity in the agricultural workforce); and

The following is from FARM Illinois’s2015 Report: A Food and Agricultural Roadmap for Illinois found here: http://farmillinois.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/FARM-IL-Report-2015_FULL_vF3.pdf

Overcoming entrenched challenges, a rising global population, evolving diets, increasing incidence of diet-related diseases, and climate change which threatens to disrupt the global and local food supply chains will continue to add stress on Illinois’ natural resources and its food and agriculture system. The state’s mature infrastructure has been hampered by underinvestment and poor coordination, which threatens to restrict the flow of Illinois’ food and agriculture products to market. And the low visibility of Illinois’ food and agriculture sector is a major obstacle to expansion in existing and new markets, both at home and abroad.

Illinois to succeed in the years ahead, several barriers must be recognized and removed. A lack of coordination in the food and agriculture system, particularly between Chicago and statewide food and agriculture interests, impedes the state’s ability to unlock the full potential of its assets. The state’s current business climate and an absence of policies to promote qualified individuals with companies looking to hire. Several workforce development assets exist, but coordination is key. The state should raise awareness of employment opportunities in the food and agriculture system and increase the availability of education and training programs. Illinois Pathways, for instance, includes information on courses and careers in food, agriculture, and natural resources.

The state should also make a more concerted effort to support programs that engage nontraditional farmers - including women, refugees, veterans, the formerly incarcerated, and early- to mid-career professionals seeking occupation changes - in food and agriculture professional development and training activities. Community colleges across the state, including in Lake and McHenry counties, administer programs that have proved effective in helping these groups find meaningful work in a sector that sorely needs them. Independent organizations such as Growing Home, located in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, also offer a model for helping individuals with employment barriers develop the skills they need to pursue careers across the food and agriculture system, from urban growing facilities to wholesalers to restaurants.

While much of the agriculture workforce resides in the United States, the demand for labor exceeds supply, and immigrants are important contributors to this workforce. Food and agriculture jobs in Illinois offer immigrants significant economic opportunities, yet the current H-2A visa system is inadequate and unreliable, hindering crop and livestock farmers in their efforts to find, retain, and maintain an adequate, legal, and cost. competitive labor supply. Immigration reform that streamlines the visa application system and workers’ ability to secure multiyear visas would help farmers secure adequate labor during harvest and throughout the season while providing greater security to immigrant workers. To prevent exploitation of migrant and other farm workers, it is essential that federal and state authorities commit to strong enforcement of wage, safety, and health regulations.

Farm Labor Contractors (FLC) who recruit and employ farmworkers are targeted for employer services along with compliance of state and federal regulations. There are 38 FLC’s in Illinois known to have recruited and employed farm labor. Approximately 900 migrants were employed by FLC’S in 2015, in addition to approximately 300 direct hires by Ag employers

IDES anticipates that the number of migrants hired by FLC’s will remain consistent with prior years in areas where staff provided outreach. Outreach staff will be assigned to areas with the collaboration of the IMC NFJP who assisted 6,000+ migrants in their PY14 year.

Local offices that have MSFW activity in their service areas are required to operate an Outreach Program to contact agricultural and food processing employers and offer labor recruitment assistance via Illinois Job Link (IJL) or the Agricultural Recruiting System (ARS).