Growers in California's Central Valley struggle to cope with farmworker shortage

Kevin Steward has spent more than a quarter-century in agriculture, much of that growing grapes for wineries. He's always been able to rely on seasonal workers to tend the vines and bring in the year's harvest. But this year, workers are harder to come by. "I could use 30 men," Steward said. "We'll get 'er done, but I can't find anybody." Growers throughout the fertile Central Valley are wringing their hands as they struggle to find the manpower they need. Anti-immigration laws and policies, an aging population, and even a raging drug war south of the border all are contributing to a slowdown in the pipeline of Mexican workers that for so long have fueled California's farm industry, experts say...more

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