A major fruit grower in Washington is laying off nearly 1,000 workers as the harvest season concludes. These layoffs are considered permanent due to the lack of identified recall dates or future staffing needs for the upcoming year. This situation highlights the inherent instability of seasonal agricultural employment, particularly for workers in the H-2A program. The company cited uncertainties such as weather and crop conditions as factors influencing future staffing. These large-scale seasonal workforce reductions are not uncommon in the region's agricultural sector.
Yakima, Washington
https://www.thestreet.com/retail/borton-sons-fruit-grower-layoffs-928-farmworkers