Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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WEST HAVEN — It's often a heated debate whether immigrants, legal or not, are taking our jobs. One Weber County farmer says they do the grueling work no one else will while making it possible for him to put food on the supermarket shelves.
Work at the Favero farm starts at 7 a.m. There are no sick days or paid vacations.
"Rain or shine, these guys usually show up to work," said Tom Favero.
KSL-TV joined his crew for the day digging some trenches.
The pathways are to help irrigate the many varieties of squash. And if clearing the way isn't bad enough, the hot July sun makes it even tougher.
"Like anybody else is trained for a computer, or anything else, these guys are trained to do field work," Favero said. "And there's a talent to do field work."
It doesn't take long to build up a sweat, but the workers don't complain.
Like anybody else is trained for a computer, or anything else, these guys are trained to do field work. And there's a talent to do field work.
–farmer Tom Favero
"They live a humble life, but they live a good life," Favero said. "They're proud of what they do."
Workers Dario Beleciana, a husband and father of two, says this has been his only job in this country.
"(I've been working here) about ten years already," Beleciana said.
He admits the work is not easy, but he still enjoys it.
"Yeah I do, I like it," he said.
It's all he knows and it's what he grew up doing.
"We come here to find a better kind of life, you know and just to work," Belenciana said.
Favero says his crews work from about 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. with an hour break. It's tough work, and he says these are the only guys that will do this kind of work.
"They say it in columns in the newspaper that we've got people that would do it, but show us those people. If there's those people there, show us," Favero said.
We come here to find a better kind of life, you know and just to work.
–Daniel Belenciana, immigrant farm worker
After a couple of hours in the trenches, KSL-TV start weeding in another field. Beleciana showed the crew what to look out for.
"Trying to get all the plants clean," Belenciana said. "That way the plants get bigger, and produce better."
The KSL-TV crew made their way through slowly, row by row. The type of office multi-tasking many of us are used to doesn't quite fit in here.
At $8 – $11 an hour, Favero says this is a workforce that keeps his business afloat, putting food on all of our tables.
"The agriculture community does need this kind of help," he said. "We need people that are ready to work, and dedicated to stay to the job."
