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News |
Welcome to the first edition of
SpecTrellising NEWS, where you’ll find
helpful tips and items of interest to
growers and producers of wine and beer. |
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| A perfect storm is developing in the US farm labor market and currently in the cross-hairs of several different forces, none of which are good for US growers looking to at least contain labor costs. |
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| Abroad |
| Over the course of the past several years, the Mexican non-farm job market has improved, redirecting
traditional farm workers to better paying non-farm jobs. According
to UC Davis, there are approximately 155,000 fewer Mexicans coming to the US to work each year and the
minimum wage to attract these workers to work has increased by as much as 18% in some farming areas.
Interestingly, only 2% of California hired farm workers are born in the US. |
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| USA |
| Domestically, several significant factors are impacting farming costs. Firstly, the improving US job market
(particularly in construction) is pulling workers away from farm jobs by offering better pay and often times
less labor intensive work. Secondly, the government's efforts to increase the minimum wage AND require
health benefits are beginning to be felt. Thirdly, the children of current migrant farm workers are looking
else where for employment. The younger generation is simply not interested in taking the same jobs their
parents have previously performed. As the current population of migrant farm workers age and retire, they
are not being replaced by younger workers. |
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| What does this mean to US growers? To help combat current labor issues (both scarcity and rising labor
costs) growers are being forced to take action, and their choices are limited: |
| - look to other countries as an alternate source of migrant workers |
| - invest in technologies to increase worker efficiencies |
| - mechanize labor intensive tasks |
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| In particular, the choice that can be most quickly and easily implemented is for growers to invest in
new technologies designed to make labor intensive jobs such as vineyard pruning and tieing less labor
intensive (more efficiently performed). |
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| Spec Trellising is proud to introduce INFACO's line of high quality battery powered hand tools designed to increase worker efficiencies for labor intensive jobs such as pruning, tieing and
de-suckering, as well as reduce repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). |
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| INFACO's F3010 Battery Powered Pruning Shear is an invaluable tool, designed to
increase pruning rates by 25% AND significantly reduce the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome.
In addition, workers are more likely to want to come back to work the following
season if given the option to use the F3010 pruner instead of conventional pruning
shears. VIDEO |
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Thanks to the F3010 SDES safety system (combined with the safety glove), the risk of
worker injury from the F3010 is virtually eliminated. While wearing the glove, if the
operator touches the tool with their gloved hand, the electrical system of the F3010
shear short circuits and the shear becomes inoperable until the glove no longer makes
contact with the shear. |
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| A3MV2.0 Tie Tool The A3MV2 is INFACO's battery powered tieing tool for tieing canes
and young vines. The tool can increase the rate of tieing by an incredible 300% compared
to traditional hand tieing methods and introduces ZERO pollution into the environment
(unlike tie tape), AND significantly reduces the threat of carpal tunnel syndrome. VIDEO |
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| De-Suckering Tool The De-Suckering tool not only virtually eliminates the back breaking effects of
manual de-suckering, it significantly increases worker productivity while significantly slowing worker
fatigue rate. This make the worker happier, it reduces the risk of injury due to worker fatigue. VIDEO |
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| SpecTrellising • 39 Indian Drive • Ivyland, PA 18974 • 800-237-4594 |
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| Visit our booth
at these
upcoming trade shows: |
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Jan 20-21
Western CO
VINCO Annual Conf. |
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Feb 4-5
Craft Beverages Unlimited
Midwest St. Louis, MO |
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Feb 11-13
The Cold Climate Conference
Minneapolis, MN |
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Feb 17-18
US Beverage Expo
Washington, DC |
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Feb 27
Grape Expectations
Forsgate, NJ |
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March 9-10
EasternWinery Expo
Lancaster, PA |
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May 4-6
Craft Brewers Conf.
Philadelphia, PA |
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| Check out these
supplier websites: |
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| Albrigi.com |
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| Lafal.com |
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| Baridaenologica.com |
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| Gripple.com |
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| Infaco-usa.com |
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| Browse our online
catalogs featuring a new
line of crushers, destemmers,
presses, fillers and
filters from |
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| spectrellising.com |
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| Call for more information or a
quote on any item. |
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