How do you come up with $10 for a head of lettuce when the illegals are gone?

Question

I've seen many people use something similar to 'you'll pay $10 for a head of lettuce when the illegals are gone', and such. Where do these numbers come from??

According to this study put out by the USDA, the average farm's cut from their agricultural output is about 23.25%. This was in 2004, and the trend has been pointing down for years.

Study is at:
http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err24/err24.pdf

My grocery store sells iceberg lettuce heads at $1.29. If the farm gets a 23.25% of that amount, their cut is $.30 per head.

Under the assumption that farm's cut goes entirely to labor (which it does not), and assuming that all other costs remain constant...

If we pay American worker 3 times the rate lettuce will cost $1.89 per head.

5 times the rate will cost $2.49 per head.

10 times the rate will cost $3.99 per head.

For lettuce to cost $10 per head, we would have to pay American workers 30 times the rate illegals are paid. Anyone think this will happen?

Answer 1

I never understood that threat either.

Answer 2

It's even less than that. The farm laborer can't possibly get more than the farmer's entire gross receipt of .30 per head. Even if the farmer who owns the land, pays for the seed, pays for irrigation, water, etc. split the amount in half with the worker (ludicrous) that would make the worker's share .15 x your multiplier. You are saying times three, which would be .45 plus the farmer's cut of .15 = .60, plus the rest of getting it to market of $1 it would be 1.60. However, there is no way the worker gets as much as the farmer, and no way rates would triple. If they were to be raised by 40% the workers would be out of poverty level wages, which is much more realistic.

There have been TRUE studies on this and the average family would pay $10 more per year for vegetables if that happened.

Whether legalized or deported, those currently here wouldn't work at today's wages. If you are discussing guest workers, there is already an unlimited cap agriculture guest worker program for SEASONAL workers who do not bring families to impact schools and services. What is wrong with that?

Answer 3

I don't know who came up with that figure, nor do I care but I would agree that not only would the price of produce go up, but so would the price of many types of food. If you think anyone "legal" in the US will work for the wages illegals are paid along with the conditions they work in, I would say your brain is in your ***. Agricultural picking is HARD work, and personally I would love to see " minuteman whitey" out in the fields lifting crates full of freshly picked produce. I don't know who long a tall white mans back will last doing the work but at least it will be done by the same Americans complaining about illegals. I don't sit behind a computer and complain about illegals because field work is back breaking, and there is no way in hell i'm doing it. That work may be worth it to the people who do it, but I have a feeling you computer literates ain't going to do it either.

Answer 4

That's why we support "Free Trade". If it cost us $ 10.00 to produce one lettuce, I am sure there are countries who can produce for a lot less. We can import those lettuces from them. (Look at your grocery store, there are many imported fruits).
And we can sell them what we can produce better.(Software, Computers, .....)
The illegals don't have to be here, because they can do farm work at their own countries. Hopefully they can get reasonable profit by selling to America. which is possible due to less competition from American farmer.
To answer your question, That will never happen. That's more of political excuses for not controlling illegals.

Answer 5

It's not just that the cost of lettuce and other vegtebles and fruits going up it's the fact that it has been proven that americans especially white will not want to work out in the fields for twelve to fourteen hour shifts six days a week buddy. Then you are going to have to find mechanical ways to pick the crop and that's where it will cost you.

Answer 6

Nutrition is essential, but I'm embarrased to say that I haven't bought a head of lettuce in two months anyway.
Beyond that almost a year.
If I want it and have to pay 10 or even 20 for it, I'm ok with that.

Answer 7

obviously, that number was pulled out of the air..

but your equation misses some important points.

first and foremost, farm work is NOT something most citizens are willing to do - period. Here in Canada, we actually import Mexican farm workers (and pay them Cdn equiv wages) because nobody else wants to do it .. So assuming there will not be enough workers to harvest the lettuce and get it all to market - you must account for the laws of supply and demand. .ie. if there are only 100 heads of lettuce and 300people want it - the shops and distributers will jack the price.,...

Answer 8

its all bull that the liberals are spreading around to try and convince us to let the "illegals" stay. I have no problem with Immigrants in general i just resent that they get better rights than those of us who chose to immigrate the legal way. And why exactly are we supposed to be upset if the price of lettuce does go up in the long run wouldn't it be cheaper than paying for all their medicare, welfare and other benefits they manage to con out of the American government.

Answer 9

They don't understand economics, plain and simple. I don't claim to be an econ major, but I did take it in HS, and took at least a little bit from it. Supply and demand alone says their argument is completely flawed.

robertohuerta1- Yeahhhhhhh, because mechanizing things costs more. Like the assembly line, or the cotton gin right? Mechanizing things saves money in the long run pal.

Answer 10

Even if the lettuce does end up costing a little more, we'd be able to afford it using the money we save by not paying for their health care and other welfare programs. So, it'll all even out in the end.

Answer 11

Good research! We will win all the way when the illegals are out. Lettuce does'nt even compare to the welfare these criminals already recieve. I'm a taxpayer, and yes I'm mad about it too!