Recent raids on undocumented workers in Central California have sparked fear and rumors of a halted citrus industry. Despite initial reports, Casey Creamer, CEO of California Citrus Mutual, asserts that harvesting continues robustly across the region, including in Tulare, Fresno, and Madera counties. The raids, specifically in Kern County, did temporarily impact some farms, with reports of worker drop-offs. However, Creamer emphasizes this was short-lived and did not represent the industry's overall status, as California remains a leading producer of citrus in the U.S.
The folks are out there working," said Elizabeth Strater, Director of Strategic Campaigns for the UFW. "These are people who don't have a nest egg and who are able to take time off of work.
We have citrus being harvested all over the place right now including Tulare County, Fresno County, Madera County and down south. By no means has the entire industry stopped.
But that was just for a few days and only in Kern County. There were others that had no impact.
In 2022 the value of navel oranges, lemons and tangerines was $2 billion.
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