Help Wanted: Immigration and the Agriculture Sector

The $374 billion US agriculture sector is critical to the US economy—but its health depends on a functioning immigration system. From migrant workers on farms, to foreign-born scientists at agribusiness headquarters, US agriculture depends on immigrant labor and analysts predict that in the absence of more far-reaching immigration reform the growth of the entire sector may stall. To mark the release of The Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ report Employing Agriculture: How the Midwest Farm Sector Relies on Immigrant Labor, join The Chicago Council, the American Immigration Council, and a panel of experts to discuss the critical relationship between immigration reform, agriculture, and wider economic growth. 

Time: Tuesday, March 31, 2015, from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM. Lunch provided. 

Location: American Immigration Council, 1331 G. Street NW, Washington DC

Panelists:

Adrienne DerVartanian is the Director of Immigration and Labor Rights at Farmworker Justice. Adrienne leads the organization's advocacy and education regarding immigration and labor policy for farmworkers. Adrienne also serves on the executive committee of the International Labor Recruitment Working Group and on the board of the East Coast Migrant Head Start Project. @FarmwrkrJustice

Dr. Stephanie Mercier is a senior policy and advocacy adviser with the Farm Journal Foundation. Dr. Mercier was chief economist for the Democratic staff of the Senate Agriculture Committee from 1997 to 2011, and also served as team leader for the Trade Policy and Programs area of the Economic Research Service, working on both domestic commodity programs and trade policy issues. @samara333 

Craig Regelbrugge serves as AmericanHort’s senior vice president, where he is responsible for industry advocacy and research programs. He co-chairs the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform and is chairman of the board of the National Immigration Forum Action Fund.  He also serves on the executive committee of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, and chairs NCAE’s Immigration Committee.

Moderator:

Ben Johnson is the Executive Director of the American Immigration Council. He has studied and worked in the immigration field for more than 20 years and has written extensively on immigration law and policy and presented testimony on immigration issues before the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. @AICBenJohnson 

Join the conversation on Twitter with @ChicagoCouncil  @FarmersFeeding  @ImmCouncil

Event Location

Directions

On G Street NW between 13th and 14th Streets NW, near Metro Center station.