No More Tomatoes for Mid-Atlantic’s Largest Producer
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 03/28/2008 - 11:12am.
Charlene M. Shupp Espenshade
Special Sections Editor
CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa. — For as long as Fred Eckel and Sons Farm has operated here in Newton Township, Lackawanna County, tomatoes have been part of the crops. But that’s all changing this year because of a “broken” immigration system, Keith Eckel announced Monday.
The Mid-Atlantic region’s largest producer of mature green tomatoes is getting out of the business and switching tomato acreage to field corn.
The choice, Eckel said, was not easy, but with a shrinking migrant work force and the challenges of the nation’s immigrant labor system, it just makes the business a risky venture. In a news conference on the farm, Eckel said if nothing is done to fix the nation’s immigration system, other farms could follow suit.
Congress needs to take the emotion out of the issue and work together to develop a workable migrant labor program, Eckel said. Without migrant labor, he said he’s unable to guarantee that his crop will not die on the vine.
“A lot of people think with immigration that we’re talking about immigrants taking jobs from others. Let me tell you, there is no local labor that is going to go out and harvest those tomatoes in 90-degree temperatures except our immigrant labor,” Eckel said. “They come here to do a job that no one else will do in this country.”
Eckel noted it has been years since he has seen local students visit his farm for work. The farm pays a high wage, about $16.59 per hour, but he noticed a decline in the number of workers, local and migrant, coming to the farm.
He planted 2.2 million tomato plants last year, which will now be replaced with corn grain, a commodity staple from the farm’s dairy days. Plans also include the elimination of the pumpkins crop and only about half the sweet corn crop will be planted. The farm changes will result in the loss of 175 jobs.
Annually, the farm produced 2,500 tons of tomatoes, which were picked in the “mature green” stage and ripened before they reached the many outlets where they were sold throughout the region. Migrant workers have helped with harvest since 1970. Traditionally, Eckel hired about 145 workers, last year he only had 75 arrive at the farm for harvest.
“There are a number of workers hesitant to travel, legal or illegal, because of the scrutiny they are now under,” said Eckel. Most workers traditionally have followed the harvest season down the East Coast. They started with his farm, and then traveled south as other crops become ready for harvest.
Ray Vega, a migrant worker who has picked tomatoes at the Eckel farm for decades, agrees that most workers are afraid to travel anymore.
The H-2A guest worker program does not work for a farm like Eckel’s because his growing season of six weeks is too short. Also, the program does not permit for the transferring of workers between farms.
Eckel said last year he had a federal investigator on his farm for a week evaluating his documents and files — one-sixth of the length of the tomato season. Also, because of how the program is organized, if he finds a worker with a social security “mismatch” all he can do is inform the worker to resolve the problem. As an employer he can not dismiss an employee because of documentation mistakes.
While Eckel has remained diligent in maintaining the needed documentation, he said there is always the fear of a government raid. If raided because of a perceived immigration problem, his entire workforce could be taken away — and the tomatoes would rot on the vine.
The tomato loss has an economic impact for both the farm and the local economy. Eckel said tomatoes were easily the farm’s most profitable crop. The production changes will reduce the farm’s revenue from $2.2 million last year to about $750,000. Beyond the farm with today’s fuel prices, a local supply of tomatoes benefited all points along the distribution chain.
Eckel’s tomatoes have been shipped to supermarkets and restaurants throughout the eastern United States. With his exit from the tomato business, the closest “local” tomatoes will come from the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia or Ohio.
Craig Pallman, president of Summit Harvest Inc., who has marketed Eckel’s tomatoes for several years said while Eckel was in season, he could guarantee his customers a quality, locally grown product. Now the company will have to fill in what was once local tomatoes with ones out of state.
The farm was the last farm in commercial tomato production in Northeastern Pennsylvania. In the last decade, mature green tomato production has gone from the dominant crop in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wyoming County to just a distant memory. Most of the regions’ other farms ended tomato production after the 1999 draught devastated their crops.
The area’s soil type provided a unique opportunity to grow tomatoes. It is one of only a few regions besides California where tomatoes can be grown without staking because of the shale soils.
While Eckel does not rule out the possibility of returning to producing the crop that has meant so much to his farm’s history, a lot has to change in Washington, he said.
Eckel said a program needs to be created that does not grant citizenship, but gives migrants the opportunity to work, register for a job, and then the chance for the workers to return home.
“I won’t rule out going back in this business if we resolve this issue, but not this year,” he said.
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President Carl Shaffer followed up Eckel’s remarks saying the tomatoes will come from somewhere, but that he questions the food safety aspect. The tomatoes could come from another part of the U.S. or from abroad. Shaffer pointed out some of the risks to consumers, noting that international producers do not have to adhere to the environmental and pesticide use standards of the U.S.
“Other farmers across the commonwealth will have to rethink what their farms will produce in the future if a solution is not reached soon in Washington. Our nation will be less secure if we end up relying on foreign countries for our food supply. The choice of fresh, locally-grown food will be gone. Consumers, farmers and our economy will suffer the consequences, and the rural character of Pennsylvania will change forever,” said Shaffer.
As the farm will remain silent during tomato season, Eckel said what he will miss most are his long-term workers, many who have been with the farm for decades.
For Vega, he hopes to find some work picking for smaller producers raising tomatoes for the local farm markets.
Charlene M. Shupp EspenshadeSpecial Sections Editor
CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa. — For as long as Fred Eckel and Sons Farm has operated here in Newton Township, Lackawanna County, tomatoes have been part of the crops. But that’s all changing this year because of a “broken” immigration system, Keith Eckel announced Monday.
The Mid-Atlantic region’s largest producer of mature green tomatoes is getting out of the business and switching tomato acreage to field corn.
The choice, Eckel said, was not easy, but with a shrinking migrant work force and the challenges of the nation’s immigrant labor system, it just makes the business a risky venture. In a news conference on the farm, Eckel said if nothing is done to fix the nation’s immigration system, other farms could follow suit.
Congress needs to take the emotion out of the issue and work together to develop a workable migrant labor program, Eckel said. Without migrant labor, he said he’s unable to guarantee that his crop will not die on the vine.
“A lot of people think with immigration that we’re talking about immigrants taking jobs from others. Let me tell you, there is no local labor that is going to go out and harvest those tomatoes in 90-degree temperatures except our immigrant labor,” Eckel said. “They come here to do a job that no one else will do in this country.”
Eckel noted it has been years since he has seen local students visit his farm for work. The farm pays a high wage, about $16.59 per hour, but he noticed a decline in the number of workers, local and migrant, coming to the farm.
He planted 2.2 million tomato plants last year, which will now be replaced with corn grain, a commodity staple from the farm’s dairy days. Plans also include the elimination of the pumpkins crop and only about half the sweet corn crop will be planted. The farm changes will result in the loss of 175 jobs.
Annually, the farm produced 2,500 tons of tomatoes, which were picked in the “mature green” stage and ripened before they reached the many outlets where they were sold throughout the region. Migrant workers have helped with harvest since 1970. Traditionally, Eckel hired about 145 workers, last year he only had 75 arrive at the farm for harvest.
“There are a number of workers hesitant to travel, legal or illegal, because of the scrutiny they are now under,” said Eckel. Most workers traditionally have followed the harvest season down the East Coast. They started with his farm, and then traveled south as other crops become ready for harvest.
Ray Vega, a migrant worker who has picked tomatoes at the Eckel farm for decades, agrees that most workers are afraid to travel anymore.
The H-2A guest worker program does not work for a farm like Eckel’s because his growing season of six weeks is too short. Also, the program does not permit for the transferring of workers between farms.
Eckel said last year he had a federal investigator on his farm for a week evaluating his documents and files — one-sixth of the length of the tomato season. Also, because of how the program is organized, if he finds a worker with a social security “mismatch” all he can do is inform the worker to resolve the problem. As an employer he can not dismiss an employee because of documentation mistakes.
While Eckel has remained diligent in maintaining the needed documentation, he said there is always the fear of a government raid. If raided because of a perceived immigration problem, his entire workforce could be taken away — and the tomatoes would rot on the vine.
The tomato loss has an economic impact for both the farm and the local economy. Eckel said tomatoes were easily the farm’s most profitable crop. The production changes will reduce the farm’s revenue from $2.2 million last year to about $750,000. Beyond the farm with today’s fuel prices, a local supply of tomatoes benefited all points along the distribution chain.
Eckel’s tomatoes have been shipped to supermarkets and restaurants throughout the eastern United States. With his exit from the tomato business, the closest “local” tomatoes will come from the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia or Ohio.
Craig Pallman, president of Summit Harvest Inc., who has marketed Eckel’s tomatoes for several years said while Eckel was in season, he could guarantee his customers a quality, locally grown product. Now the company will have to fill in what was once local tomatoes with ones out of state.
The farm was the last farm in commercial tomato production in Northeastern Pennsylvania. In the last decade, mature green tomato production has gone from the dominant crop in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wyoming County to just a distant memory. Most of the regions’ other farms ended tomato production after the 1999 draught devastated their crops.
The area’s soil type provided a unique opportunity to grow tomatoes. It is one of only a few regions besides California where tomatoes can be grown without staking because of the shale soils.
While Eckel does not rule out the possibility of returning to producing the crop that has meant so much to his farm’s history, a lot has to change in Washington, he said.
Eckel said a program needs to be created that does not grant citizenship, but gives migrants the opportunity to work, register for a job, and then the chance for the workers to return home.
“I won’t rule out going back in this business if we resolve this issue, but not this year,” he said.
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President Carl Shaffer followed up Eckel’s remarks saying the tomatoes will come from somewhere, but that he questions the food safety aspect. The tomatoes could come from another part of the U.S. or from abroad. Shaffer pointed out some of the risks to consumers, noting that international producers do not have to adhere to the environmental and pesticide use standards of the U.S.
“Other farmers across the commonwealth will have to rethink what their farms will produce in the future if a solution is not reached soon in Washington. Our nation will be less secure if we end up relying on foreign countries for our food supply. The choice of fresh, locally-grown food will be gone. Consumers, farmers and our economy will suffer the consequences, and the rural character of Pennsylvania will change forever,” said Shaffer.
As the farm will remain silent during tomato season, Eckel said what he will miss most are his long-term workers, many who have been with the farm for decades.
For Vega, he hopes to find some work picking for smaller producers raising tomatoes for the local farm markets.
