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Faced with concerns over homeland security, the White House has made comprehensive immigration reform a top priority this fall. But if new legislation fails to allow temporary workers to enter the country, agriculture could be left without a work force.

John Wargowsky, OFBF director of labor services, said agriculture is unique in its labor needs, because it depends on temporary workers to fill jobs that Americans are often unwilling to take.

"What we're seeing is more of a push for workplace enforcement," Wargowsky said, noting that legislators want to crack down on the hiring of illegal immigrants.

He said new legislation should allow some illegal workers to obtain permanent residency status.

OFBF also supports eliminating the adverse effect wage rate, which inflates the salaries that farmers have to pay to guest workers.

"We need a market-based wage rate," Wargowsky said.

He added that measures need to be implemented that would protect farmers from frivolous litigation from temporary workers.

Wargowsky noted two immigration reform bills presently before Congress.

The "Comprehensive Enforcement and Immigration Reform Act of 2005" (CEIRA) was introduced by Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. The bill establishes a temporary worker program with a federal or state minimum wage rate. It allows illegal immigrants to return to their home country to obtain legal permanent residence or temporary worker status.

Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., have introduced the "Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 2005." The bill would allow permanent resident status for undocumented workers that meet certain criteria and create a new temporary visa allowing employers to recruit workers from abroad for non-agricultural jobs.

Some are concerned that workers who are given permanent resident status will no longer continue to work in agriculture. At the same time, tighter border restrictions may prevent new temporary workers from entering the country, reducing the number of workers available to agricultural employers.

Wargowsky emphasized that no matter what legislation is adopted, agriculture needs a viable temporary worker program to recruit legal workers.

"Our members need to tell their elected representatives that this is important," he said.