Melissa Van Grinsven/Winonan

Farm, labor, immigration policy and tomatoes were the topic of discussion at a panel held on Monday, Feb. 17, in East Hall, Kryzsko Commons.

Barry Estabrook, author of this year’s common book, “Tomatoland,” addressed an audience of about 40 people on why he chose to write his novel and to voice his opinions on the matter.

Estabrook said, “I used tomatoes because they were a good example of how our industrialized agriculture system has gone awry.”

“Tomatoland” explores the idea of modern industrial agriculture and the effect it has on society today. “Tomatoland” also discusses the human and environmental costs of the demanding agricultural world and how tomatoes specifically are a part of the problem.

In his book, Estabrook chose to write his opinion on the effects of the tomato industry such as pesticide exposure, human trafficking and immigration issues.

To begin, he told a story about a 17-year-old woman working illegally in America on a tomato plant farm who became pregnant. She was forced to quit her job because she knew the chemicals she was being sprayed with at the plant were harmful. She then bore a child with no arms or legs.

Estabrook said this was just one example of why it’s important that labor and immigration issues need to be brought to the attention of the U.S. government. He also said that if enough people were to email a state’s congressman or woman, the issue would be discussed among the country’s leaders.

Along with Estabrook, Jack Hedin, owner of local Featherstone Farms, was present to voice his opinions on the matter.

“It’s time to bring these people out of the shadows and give them a legal status because they earned it,” Hedin said.

Estabrook said he agreed it is time for immigration policies to be brought up to Congress because of the major role these people play in America’s daily life.

Hedin said it’s difficult to find workers motivated enough to work on his farm. He said the days are long, the conditions can be strenuous and the higher demand is making it hard to find enough people to work at Featherstone Farms.

Hedin said the best workers he had so far are the Spanish-speaking workers he has hired in the past.  He said they were the most dedicated, despite the 40 to 60 hours spent on the farm.

“If you had anything to eat today, thank an undocumented worker,” Estabrook said.

Hedin also said there is a lengthy process to hire these workers because they are not local. He talked about the visa program he goes through each year with homeland security in order to hire these individuals.

It would be much easier if immigrants were made legal more efficiently, so they could be hired for the job, he said.