Some farms use inmates for relief from labor shortages

ARLINGTON - At the entry gate to Hickman’s Egg Ranch southwest of Phoenix, a visitor will be greeted by a worker in an orange jumpsuit with the letters “ADC” stamped down the pant leg.

About 50 prisoners from the Arizona Department of Corrections work here, packing egg cartons, loading trucks, constructing new barns, welding and making compost.

Inmates such as Courtney Reynolds, who is serving a six-year sentence at the Perryville State Prison Complex for drug-related crimes, say working here allows them to learn job skills and earn money for when they are released. Some go on to work for Hickman’s as regular employees.

“This program is really a good opportunity for those of us that put forth the effort,” said Reynolds, who has worked at the egg ranch for five months. “A lot of these guys have never used a tool before.”

It’s also a good opportunity for Hickman’s, which began using inmate labor about 12 years ago as a way to maintain a steady supply of workers in an industry that faces constant labor shortages, said Clint Hickman, vice president of sales for the company.

“I think it been a very successful program for us,” Hickman said. “I think sometimes it’s been spectacular in nature. You have some guys with really great skills.”

While many growers tout immigration reform as the key to solving the shortage of farm labor, some in Arizona already rely on inmates as a local, legal and dependable source of labor.

Nine Arizona farming operations use inmate labor, according to Bill Lamoreaux, public information officer for the Department of Corrections.

Ed Hermes, public information officer for the Arizona Department of Agriculture, said that the availability of labor is a main factor in the state’s ability to grow its $9.2 billion agriculture industry.

“Utilizing inmate labor is something that’s going to be looked at very hard at by farmers,” Hermes said. “Farmers are some of the most innovative people we have here in this country.”

Colorado, where farms have faced a labor shortfall since tough immigration laws passed last year, recently announced that low-risk inmates will be made available to work in the fields.

Jack Dixon, owner of LBJ Farming, said his was the first Arizona farming operation to use inmate labor, starting 18 years ago. The 60 or so inmates he employs provide a dependable, year-round workforce and are available to work through the hot temperatures during harvest season, Dixon said.

“It’s a win-win,” said Dixon, who grows watermelons and pumpkins in Willcox, Picacho and Gila Bend. “The overall picture is good for everybody _ people like me that need field labor and the inmates.”

John Boelts, president of the Yuma County Farm Bureau, said inmate labor isn’t a sensible solution for large farms with multiple locations, like many in the Yuma area. Boelts also said inmates lack the specialized skills needed by farmers to perform tasks such as irrigation.

“In Yuma, our need is greater than we can practically expect from working with the Department of Corrections,” he said. “If you’re looking for year-round help, and you’re in one location, then the inmate labor is far more palatable.”

To Boelts, immigration reform is the key to solving the labor shortage facing farmers.

“In Yuma we are very good at producing vegetables today and we can continue to do so here domestically if we aren’t restricted in our inputs,” he said. “One is labor, and the American folk in the large part aren’t going to come by the thousands and do the jobs. Immigrants are wanting to do that job.”

At Hickman’s Egg Ranch, Reynolds said he thinks other inmates would participate if more farms wanted to employ them.

“Even if it’s just picking melons, kids come in and it instills a work ethic,” he said. “If the opportunity comes, we’ll take it.”

Arizona Correctional Industries, a division of the Department of Corrections, oversees work programs for inmates. In order to qualify for an outside job, a prisoner must obtain special clearance, have at least a GED and be classified as a level one inmate, the lowest security risk classification an inmate can have.

Steve Martin began working at Hickman’s about 12 years ago as one of the company’s first inmate workers. He joined the company as a regular employee after his release and now is a production manager.

“It’s been a complete success,” Martin said. “It’s good for everybody.”

In addition to gaining work experience, the inmates get paid. A large potion of what Hickman’s pays goes to the state, but two smaller portions go to the inmates: one into a mandatory savings account for when they are released and the other for use while they are incarcerated.

Eddrick Moreland, another Perryville inmate who’s worked at Hickman’s for more than three years, said he’s seen inmates released with checks as large as $16,000.

“I’ve seen a lot of good things happen,” he said. “You get what you can out of it. The program puts you in a position to help yourself.”

After serving more than six years for theft, Moreland will be released next month. He has already lined up a job at the egg ranch.

“It gives me self-motivation, especially knowing they trust me to come back and work for them,” he said. “It’s everything I need to survive when I get out.”