“Idaho Fruit Producer Enlists Refugees For Harvest”

Knowing he faced a significant labor shortage during peak harvest season this year, Symms Fruit Ranch co-owner Jamie Mertz turned to the Idaho Office for Refugees for help.

The move worked, as 135 refugees from countries around the world helped pick the 2012 cherry harvest at Symms, a 5,000-acre diversified farm in southwest Idaho. About 49 are picking the plum and pear harvests, which require fewer workers.

Mertz contacted Tara Wolfson, regional employment specialist with IOR, which worked with the three main resettlement agencies in the Treasure Valley to provide the workers.

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