It's January 13, 2009 and where has all the furor about immigration reform in the U.S. gone to?

"American Harvest" documentary available on Amazon.com

American Harvest Documentary on DVD now!

Available here on Amazon.com
You have undoubtedly found this film from a search concerning immigration or agriculture. Please take a moment to visit www.americanharvestmovie.com to learn more about "American Harvest" and the vital role you as American citizens play when you look at all the facts of a particular debate.

Particularly one as vitally important important as immigration as it relates to agriculture.

We are releasing the film in theaters beginning in June and expect to release the DVD sometime this fall. Visit our website for details.

Thank you,

Angelo Mancuso
Director

DOCUMENTARY, US, 2008, 100 minutes

With the number of undocumented immigrants in the United States estimated at 12 million, anti-immigration sentiment has swept across America and immigration has increasingly become a central topic of debate. To explore the issue of immigration from the standpoint of the American farmer as well as through the eyes of the migrant worker, filmmaker Angelo Mancuso and crew traveled to more than a dozen states, into Mexico and visited remote areas of the U.S./Mexico border conducting interviews while covering more than 15,000 miles. The film points out the inconsistencies of the current policy on immigration, revealing the lives of legal and illegal migrants and farmers working toward a better life, and documents the symbiotic relationship that has emerged between them. Is the immigration system in America flawed? And why are immigrants – quite literally – dying to feed America?


Angelo Mancuso has worked on several feature films and has produced and directed shorts, commercials and PSAs over a 13-year career. He makes his directorial debut with American Harvest.


It's January 13, 2009 and where has all the furor about immigration reform in the U.S. gone to?

For years people on both sides of the immigration debate have been clamoring with great furor for the United States of America to reform the immigration system. Arguments for both sides had heated up so loudly that no one could hear any civil discourse concerning the issues surrounding the immigration debate.

Now that people are not talking about the immigration issue, is it safe to say that all the associated problems are fixed?

They must be, because at this moment very few people are voicing concern about fixing the immigration system here in America.

I am sure that all of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants have packed it in and have all gone back to their respective countries. It must be that no one is still struggling to get in to the U.S. It must be that all of the children of the illegals have grown up and are all 18 or older and are standing on their own two feet. (I think all the children that have grown up lickety split must have joined the United States Armed Services.)

It must be that all the farm workers in America have been replaced with officially certified U.S. domestic workers that have either run out of their unemployment benefits or have decided to get off their lazy butts and stop taking welfare and started to pay it all back.

I heard a rumor at the diner this morning that the U.S. domestic certification process uses a food coloring stamp on one of your private parts (similar to the one used on beef) so it doesn't harm the environment or contribute to global warming. It's important to keep America safe and clean.

I also heard a rumor that Al Gore invented the blog.

Someone once said "It's the economy stupid!"

Well, for all the rocket scientists out there if you look at our U.S. history, immigration has fueled the economy. During our most prosperous years in the United States, you can point to our greatest economic successes having come during times of robust immigration.

Forrest Gump said, "I didn't mean to fight during your Black Panther party." Gump made a very difficult decision in that juncture of the film to save Jenny.

Perhaps, the American people, U.S. Senators and Congressmen and women can make another difficult decision and treat immigrants, citizens and their businesses fairly and with respect to all as well.

If you would like to know more about the immigration issue you can watch my documentary "American Harvest." It's available on Amazon.com and it's about the role immigrants play on America's farms and the broader issues surrounding the immigration debate.

Angelo Mancuso
Director

p.s. no Rocket Scientists were harmed during the making of American Harvest.


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View the trailer at www.americanharvestmovie.com

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HOWHTK?ie=UTF8&tag=amerharvmovi-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B001HOWHTK


“If you’ve ever eaten fruits and vegetables you must see this film!
Bob Russell, Exec. Director, Little Theater


"Whether you bring to this film your own bias – in either direction – or look at it with an open mind, you will be moved by the power in this narrative. Look for it. It's what a documentary should be."
Nick Francesco - WHAM, Clear Channel


"The documentary 'American Harvest' powerfully portrays the truth about agriculture and migrant labor in the United States at the present time. In a series of candid interviews with farmers and farmworkers from Florida to Maine the viewer objectively learns the facts and dispels the myths connected with migrant farmworkers. The film portrays the migrant reality that can’t be ignored and which is rarely seen by most people. It’s a must see if we are serious about the truth of migrant workers."
Sister Janet Korn, RSM
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Rochester


“As the debate over immigration reform continues, this movie offers a fair and amazingly frank portrait of the challenges that we now face. It accurately represents both the grower and the worker difficulties and offers insight into a side of this issue that is rarely brought to light.”
John Lincoln, President, New York Farm Bureau


“Your film sheds much light on the current national debate over immigration policy. Those of us in agriculture have rarely seen such a balanced, forthright discussion of these issues in any medium. “American Harvest” provides much-needed perspective, one that encourages rational and reasonable debate.”
Don Lipton – Director of Public Relations
American Farm Bureau Federation


"I would encourage all Americans to see your film. American Harvest encourages viewers to look at the immigration issue from the farmers and farmworkers viewpoints a side of the issue that is rarely if ever discussed."
Mike Gempler, President
National Council of Agricultural Employers


“This film is a must see for 99% of the American people that work outside of agriculture.”
Craig Regelbrugge
Co-Chair, Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform
Vice President of Government Relations and Research
American Nursery & Landscape Association
www.saveusfarms.org

American Harvest Documentary on DVD now!

Available here on Amazon.com

You have undoubtedly found this film from a search concerning immigration or agriculture. Please take a moment to visit www.americanharvestmovie.com to learn more about "American Harvest" and the vital role you as American citizens play when you look at all the facts of a particular debate.

Particularly one as vitally important important as immigration as it relates to agriculture.

We are releasing the film in theaters beginning in June and expect to release the DVD sometime this fall. Visit our website for details.

Thank you,

Angelo Mancuso
Director

DOCUMENTARY, US, 2008, 100 minutes

With the number of undocumented immigrants in the United States estimated at 12 million, anti-immigration sentiment has swept across America and immigration has increasingly become a central topic of debate. To explore the issue of immigration from the standpoint of the American farmer as well as through the eyes of the migrant worker, filmmaker Angelo Mancuso and crew traveled to more than a dozen states, into Mexico and visited remote areas of the U.S./Mexico border conducting interviews while covering more than 15,000 miles. The film points out the inconsistencies of the current policy on immigration, revealing the lives of legal and illegal migrants and farmers working toward a better life, and documents the symbiotic relationship that has emerged between them. Is the immigration system in America flawed? And why are immigrants – quite literally – dying to feed America?

Angelo Mancuso has worked on several feature films and has produced and directed shorts, commercials and PSAs over a 13-year career. He makes his directorial debut with American Harvest.

Civil rights group decries tenor of immigration debate...

...They take issue with words such as 'invaders,' 'swarms'

Available here on Amazon.com

You have undoubtedly found this film from a search concerning immigration or agriculture. Please take a moment to visit www.americanharvestmovie.com to learn more about "American Harvest" and the vital role you as American citizens play when you look at all the facts of a particular debate.

Particularly one as vitally important important as immigration as it relates to agriculture.

We are releasing the film in theaters beginning in June and expect to release the DVD sometime this fall. Visit our website for details.

Thank you,

Angelo Mancuso
Director

After reading an article in the Houston Chronicle it is important to give an added perspective. The following is a post that I wrote in response to the afore mentioned article.

These civil rights groups make valid points. Isn't the point of an intelligent debate to be about the facts argued and discussed and not about name calling?

Perhaps Lou Dobbs, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, Sean Hanity, Pat Buchanan and the like would like to debate me on this issue. After traveling 15,000 miles and conducting interviews of hundreds of people who are at the center of this issue I have come to realize that this is not as black and white as these commentators would lead you to believe. Perhaps they would like to have an intelligent conversation about this issue with me.

Everyday I speak to Americans across the country on both sides of the issue and we discuss and debate the facts. Since these conversations don't involve television ratings they tend to be very productive. if the men and women of talk radio and television would like to relegate their craft to be in effect the equivalent of the "World Wrestling Federation" then so be it.

it is up to moderate Americans like me to call them on it.

Anyone that wants a to see our democracy thrive must look at all the facts. Not just those that suit them. Then and only then can we encourage rational and reasonable debate.

Angelo Mancuso
Director
"American Harvest" documentary - The Real Truth About Immigrant America
http://www.americanharvestmovie.com

Work Ethic vs. the Immigration Issue

Available here on Amazon.com

You have undoubtedly found this film from a search concerning immigration or agriculture. Please take a moment to visit www.americanharvestmovie.com to learn more about "American Harvest" and the vital role you as American citizens play when you look at all the facts of a particular debate.

Particularly one as vitally important important as immigration as it relates to agriculture.

We are releasing the film in theaters beginning in June and expect to release the DVD sometime this fall. Visit our website for details.

Thank you,

Angelo Mancuso
Director

DOCUMENTARY, US, 2008, 100 minutes

With the number of undocumented immigrants in the United States estimated at 12 million, anti-immigration sentiment has swept across America and immigration has increasingly become a central topic of debate. To explore the issue of immigration from the standpoint of the American farmer as well as through the eyes of the migrant worker, filmmaker Angelo Mancuso and crew traveled to more than a dozen states, into Mexico and visited remote areas of the U.S./Mexico border conducting interviews while covering more than 15,000 miles. The film points out the inconsistencies of the current policy on immigration, revealing the lives of legal and illegal migrants and farmers working toward a better life, and documents the symbiotic relationship that has emerged between them. Is the immigration system in America flawed? And why are immigrants – quite literally – dying to feed America?

Angelo Mancuso has worked on several feature films and has produced and directed shorts, commercials and PSAs over a 13-year career. He makes his directorial debut with American Harvest.

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BEGINNING OF BLOG ARTICLE

Let's face it, there are certain jobs that some Americans won't do. And some of them involve hard work.

Whatever happened to a good old-fashioned work ethic?

This is why many Americans complain about the immigration issue, some of them don’t find physical labor or hot and dirty conditions appealing.

Some jobs like agriculture and farming have gone the way of the migrant worker. If you were an employer whom would you rather have working for you? A hard working immigrant or a soft lazy school kid that is being taught to go to college and get an education instead of learning a trade.

The problem is so complex that no single black and white solution will due.

Somewhere we need to find a balance between immigrant labor and encouraging our young people to learn skills and trades with a purpose as if their entire existence depended on it. This is where immigrant outperforms their American born counterparts.

If you have skills and a work ethic then an employer will find you desirable and want to pay you more money than your less-skilled less-industrious counterpart.

In the mean time we need to fix our broken immigration system.

If you understood the backlog for the ineffectual legal immigration process you would understand why moderate voices are calling for immigration reform.

People and businesses want a legal system that works. We need to compromise on immigration reform.

We need to encourage reasonable and rational debate.


Angelo Mancuso
Director
"American Harvest" documentary - The Real Truth About Immigrant America
http://www.americanharvestmovie.com

Immigration does not effect everyone overtly. But it does effect everyone.

Available here on Amazon.com

You have undoubtedly found this film from a search concerning immigration or agriculture. Please take a moment to visit www.americanharvestmovie.com to learn more about "American Harvest" and the vital role you as American citizens play when you look at all the facts of a particular debate.

Particularly one as vitally important important as immigration as it relates to agriculture.

We are releasing the film in theaters beginning in June and expect to release the DVD sometime this fall. Visit our website for details.

Thank you,

Angelo Mancuso
Director
--
Immigration does not effect everyone overtly. But it does effect everyone.

300,000 million people don't give a damn about your life. They care about there own.

So why is the immigration issue important to me?

Because it shapes who we are in America and it shapes our economy and everything we buy, purchase, who we interact with, who are children go to school with, what language we speak and virtually everything that makes up this great experiment called the United States of America.

So lets talk. Let's debate. And let's do it in an open minded fashion that includes the benefits that so many immigrants have provided and downside of our flawed immigration policy.

I hope all the politicians running for President will show the courage required to find the middle ground on immigration reform in the U.S. (I doubt it, but one can always hope.)

Please tell us what you stand for on one of the most complex issues facing America today. We are a nation of immigrants and if we intend on growing this country, the alternative is shrinking it, we need a comprehensive reform plan that takes into account border security as well as the benefits we have received from this growth of population and economy.

Angelo Mancuso
Director
"American Harvest" documentary - The Real Truth About Immigrant America
http://www.americanharvestmovie.com

Stop the rhetoric about how bad the American farmer is. Get back to immigration reform!

And please, for once get the facts straight.

Available here on Amazon.com

You have undoubtedly found this film from a search concerning immigration or agriculture. Please take a moment to visit www.americanharvestmovie.com to learn more about "American Harvest" and the vital role you as American citizens play when you look at all the facts of a particular debate.

Particularly one as vitally important important as immigration as it relates to agriculture.

We are releasing the film in theaters beginning in June and expect to release the DVD sometime this fall. Visit our website for details.

Thank you,

Angelo Mancuso
Director

--
When it comes to agriculture in particular we need immigration reform that allows America's farmers to hire farmworkers to do jobs most Americans won't do. AND FARMERS WANT A LEGAL SYSTEM TO DO HIRE THESE WORKERS!

The wages being paid by farmers in the current legal H2A system averages $9.50 per hour and includes housing for the immigrant worker. It also includes transportation to and from their home country, visas, paperwork, transportation while they are working in the US, etc.

America's farmers are already willing to pay a premium for workers WHO WANT TO WORK. So this is not about slave wages, an argument most try to use.

Additionally there are NO subsidies for specialty crops which includes ALL fruits and vegetables. The American Farmer has to also compete with third world countries selling produce in the American market.

Agriculture is a global business and a global marketplace.

It should also be noted that there will ALWAYS be a need for hand labor for the picking of fruits and vegetables. The plants mature at varying rates and are picked as many as 15 times before the plant is through bearing fruit.

What will the rural communities do to support their economy when farmers go out of business? What businesses will replace them? Who will support the tax bases in these communities when the farmers are gone?

We all need to appreciate the American farmer and all they do. Before it's to late.

The biggest question of all is, what will the United States do in 30 years if China becomes THE world's superpower and puts a trade embargo on us that includes food?

Angelo Mancuso
Director

http://www.americanharvestmovie.com

Will you think about immigration when we have an American Harvest to be grateful for this Thanksgiving?

Available here on Amazon.com

You have undoubtedly found this film from a search concerning immigration or agriculture. Please take a moment to visit www.americanharvestmovie.com to learn more about "American Harvest" and the vital role you as American citizens play when you look at all the facts of a particular debate.

Particularly one as vitally important important as immigration as it relates to agriculture.

We are releasing the film in theaters beginning in June and expect to release the DVD sometime this fall. Visit our website for details.

Thank you,

Angelo Mancuso
Director

--
We in America have a tremendous amount of blessings to be grateful for this Thanksgiving. Just take a moment and think about your ancestors and what they went through when they first came to the United States. Some of them came through the golden door legally and some did not.

Most immigrants have benefited this country so significantly that it would be hard to imagine where we would be without them.

Somewhere in one of your quiet moments this Thanksgiving will you recognize the men and women that harvest our crops in America and say to them, “thank you for all you do to feed us.”

We have been given so much.

Will you take into account that our society has been built on immigrants since the Declaration of Independence?

This may be difficult, but before you just go with a knee-jerk reaction to the immigration debate, ask yourself “how would my immigrant ancestors handle the current immigration issue.”

Only in their voice can you get to the right thing to do.

http://www.americanharvestmovie.com