Farmworkers deserve respect, not unwarranted hostility especially when at the grocery store

Editor:

A few days ago, some Mexican workers from our farm were food shopping at Save A Lot in Albion. They were approached by a very agitated man who said, “you m—– f—— should go back to Mexico where you belong, I’m calling immigration on you.”

This vulgarity is one that is especially hurtful to those of Hispanic culture. This man was also taking pictures of them, their van, and possibly doing video.

Some background on the workers, many of them have been coming to our farm for ten years or more. They come through the federal H2A program which makes it totally legal for them to be in the US and to work for up to ten months.

These are loyal, hardworking, good men. We value their dedication to our farm operation, their knowledge of what it takes to grow top-quality apples, and their willingness to work alongside us every day. These jobs are not easy, require long hours, sometimes in bad weather, and they have to leave their families for extended periods.

We could not grow apples without the high-quality work they do. In the H2A program, the farm owner has to offer these jobs to local workers and hire them if they apply and qualify.  We have had about four local people apply for jobs in the last ten years, none of them lasted more than a week.

To the man who yelled obscenities at our guys and made them be afraid of what might happen, please think before you berate good people again. Our guys took a video of you during your tirade. You appear quite well fed and had a bag of groceries.

The vital workers on our farm, and others like them across the country make sure grocery bags like yours are full of made in the USA produce.  You should be thanking them, not cursing and abusing them.

Jeff Smith

Medina