Farmers across California are anxious that they will not have enough farm labor to bring in crops this year.  The San Francisco Chronicle notes numerous factors are contributing to the problem including tightening border enforcement, changing Mexican population demographics, drug violence and the recession in the United States.  Growers are resorting to local labor markets but find that the workers are not as dedicated or resilient as Mexican farmworkers.  The Pew Research Center has found that 70% of the US agricultural labor force is undocumented.

As residents of the Central Valley, we know that we live in one of the world’s most abundant gardens, a place of unparalleled productivity and natural bounty, yet one also beset with ecological and socio-economic challenges.  This New York Times opinion piece -  “The Vanishing Valley” – highlights our unique home.  It is a story that illustrating the importance of the valley as a region of national importance.