Lack of Immigration Reform Threatans California Famers

SACRAMENTO — Except for illegal immigrants, no group has more at stake in the national fight over immigration reform than California farmers.

“It doesn’t pay to plant a product if you can’t harvest it,” notes Mark Teixeira of Santa Maria, who says he had to let 22 acres of vegetables rot last year because he couldn’t find enough field hands to gather the crop. “That hurts.”