Failure to Act Would Threaten Maryland’s $355 Million Seafood Industry and Supply Chain; Governor Renews Call for Long-Term, Permanent Fix
ANNAPOLIS, MD—With Maryland’s blue crab harvest season starting on April 1, Governor Larry Hogan today urged federal officials to make more H-2B Nonimmigrant Temporary Worker Program visas available to help protect Maryland’s $355 million seafood industry and supply chain. In a letter to Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf and Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia, the governor also called for a long-term, permanent solution to provide certainty to rural Maryland and in particular the Eastern Shore. Read the governor’s letter here.
In a typical year, 500 H-2B seasonal workers are needed for Maryland’s 20 licensed crab picking houses. Research conducted by the University of Maryland indicates that every H-2B temporary worker in crab processing helps create 2.5 jobs for American citizens.
“In support of Maryland’s seafood industry and other seasonal employers, I request that you take immediate action to increase the number of H-2B Nonimmigrant Temporary Worker Program visas—now capped at 66,000—to the maximum allowable under federal law,” writes Governor Hogan. “These workers are vital to rural Maryland and in particular our Eastern Shore. In addition to lifting the cap, I ask that you partner with Congress and Maryland’s congressional delegation to finally find a long-term solution to this issue.”
Last year, Governor Hogan was successful in pushing the U.S. Department of Homeland Secretary to release an additional 30,000 visas through the H-2B program. This came after the federal administration’s 2018 decision to limit the number of visas available, a move that devastated the local crab industry and seasonal employers.
“Without these temporary workers, and without an end to the arbitrary lottery system, local seafood processors will be unable to open for business or be forced to significantly reduce their operations,” writes Governor Hogan. “Another year of hardship could permanently damage Maryland’s sustainable seafood industry, causing these iconic family and small businesses to close or constrict, which would have a devastating impact on commerce and jobs, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas of the state.”
In his letter, the governor also invited Secretaries Scalia and Wolf to personally visit a Chesapeake Bay crab house or processor.
12 comments:
OH NO , Hire Americans , & quit Wining !!!
These businesses should pay American pay & abide by American Rules & Law !!!!
YES. It has been little more than cheap labor coordinated by US employers using SSA tax breaks and local laws.
Why not exempt AMERICAN workers from SSA & unemployment taxes????
Too many foreigners here , America is FULL !!!!
2.5 jobs for every picker? Really! Must be that common core math
Yes, I feel the same way
Here's one of those places that I disagree....
Reduce the number of these Visas!
Make Food Stamps and welfare harder for able-bodied men and women!
Make the farmer pay a real wage to people that get off of handout programs!
Make everyone pay a little more for the food they get!
Better than taxation and handouts!
Businesses have been getting away with hiring Illegals for years
instead of Americans , with no punishment for doing so .
Time to stop it & prosecute them from here on out !!!
If they can't hire American , then they need to get Out of business !!! Don't want to hear them Wine at all !!!!
The organizations who manage the influx of foreign workers pay cash under the table to emploYers that hire them. Most people in OC understand this. Those organizations are the real benefit of not using American workers. They basically are the invisible slave traders.
How many prisons do they have in Maryland? Let the inmates pick crabs. It's not a hard skill to learn and it would keep the price down for the customers. There is no reason we should allow people to just sit in prison while we pay the bill to feed, clothe, provide medical care and all the other expenses.
1159 comments
Prison is an extension of the Welfare system
States get federal money for each prisoner they have
State Prisons are a buisness, and although your comments are worthy of noting.
You will not get inmates out to work...
Unions stopped inmates from being productive by having jobs while they are locked up.
why don't you bus over some of those illegals from OC that have over stayed their visas? even they won't work for your peanuts while you make it big!
piss off rino, when you aint suing trump you are asking for favors! you should be kissing his ass, fool!
SO now this Governor who has constantly disagreed and speaks against the governor now wants the President to help Him out. Well Mr. Governor have you ever heard of the saying, " You reap what you sow ". Think about it. You haven't supported one thing that the Presidents stands for.
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