Industry groups representing agriculture interests in Washington this week will release reports promoting industrys favored labor, immigration and insecticides policy.
A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies to be released Wednesday examines Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids on U.S. meatpacking plants and their aftermath. It notes the historical context of an industry whose workers have seen a dramatic decline in wages over the past 30 years as well as the raids' economic effects, the center said.
Additionally, research and education group the Crop Protection Research Institute (CPRI) said it will release the results of its study on the value of insecticides in U.S. crop production later this week at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.
According to the institute, the study documents how insecticides have protected the yields of numerous crops in the U.S. since their introduction to American agriculture more than a hundred years ago.
Insecticide use has prevented the loss of 50 percent of the production of most U.S. crops beneficial in feeding millions of people while keeping food affordable, the CPRI said.
CropLife Foundation, a non-profit, non-advocacy organization created to advance the understanding of pesticide use in the U.S., sponsored the research by CPRI.