A Vermont Senate committee is considering a bill that would create a farm guest worker program to allow the estimated 1,500 to 2,000 immigrant workers on Vermont dairy farms. The bill would create a state identification for the workers and a registry of those workers that would allow them to be eligible for state services.
The bill's sponsor – Democratic Sen. Jeanette White of Windham County – told the Senate Agriculture Committee that there's already a federal guest worker program for seasonal farm workers and for ski resort employees.She says immigration is a federal government issue, but Vermont has always been willing to go against the federal government when "it's the right thing to do." PD
—AP newswire report
