Nine B.C. Orchards Denied Foreign Workers

Nine orchards in the Okanogan Valley of British Columbia are scrambling after the Mexican consulate said they will not send foreign workers due to poor living conditions.

According to a report by Global News Canada a report cited houses infested with rats, covered in mold, overcrowded and lacking proper laundry facilities as the reason for removing workers for one year.

According to the BC Fruit Growers Association the Okanogan Valley has 233 farms that rely on nearly 2,100 foreign workers from Mexico through the Seasonal Ag Worker Program.

There was no appeal process, nor can the growers make changes to be apply for workers, so those nine farms are looking for answers.