Farm Workforce Modernization Act 

 

A bipartisan bill recently introduced in the House of Representatives aims to offer legal status, and even a pathway to citizenship, to hundreds of thousands of undocumented alien farmworkers.

 

Under the bill, applicants who are able to show at least 180 days of agricultural

employment over the last two years could receive a new five-year visa, renewable by working at least 100 days per year in agriculture. Workers could then earn legal permanent resident status if they meet a requirement related to the amount of time worked in agriculture for a certain number of years. The bill also mandates nationwide E-Verify for all agricultural workers.

 

According to the Pew Research Center there are an estimated 325,000 undocumented immigrants currently working in agriculture. The majority of farmworkers in the U.S. are in California, where it's estimated that as many as 75 percent of them are undocumented.    

Recipe

Green Beans with Bacon and Shallots

 

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces

8 bacon slices, thinly sliced crosswise

2 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup finely chopped shallots (about 4 large)

PREPARATION

Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp, but tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Drain well. Pat dry with paper towels. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Wrap in paper towels; enclose in resealable plastic bag and refrigerate.)   Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat in skillet. Add butter to skillet and melt over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender and golden, about 4 minutes. Add beans and sauté until heated through, about 6 minutes. Add bacon to skillet and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

Marijuana Breathalyzer

 

As more states push to legalize recreational marijuana, concerns about people driving while high continue to mount. Colorado legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, and in the following 4 years saw the number of marijuana related traffic deaths increase by 66% compared to the 4 prior years.  

 

Because of statistics like this, law enforcement is committed to preventing

people from driving while under the influence of marijuana.  The difficulty comes in determining whether a marijuana user is currently under the influence, or simply has a low level of residual THC in their system from prior usage.  Current field testing methods can determine the presence of marijuana, but not the level in the system, and some tests can detect marijuana use as much 30 days previously.  

 

Three companies, SannTek, Cannabix, and Hound Labs are in a race to develop the first practical marijuana breathalyzer. Hound Labs claims to be the closest, with actual trials being conducted. It is estimated that a device could be available as early as next year.