U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Steve Censky, along with Guatemala Governance Minister Enrique Antonio Degenhart Asturias, Labor Minister Gabriel Vladimir Aguilera Bolaños, Economy Minister Acisclo Valladares Urruela, Agriculture Minister Mario Estuardo Méndez, Guatemala Ambassador to the United States of America Manuel Alfredo Espina Pinto, Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP) Office of American Innovation Kristi Boswell, and EOP National Economic Council Jordan Bonfitto, talk with Mexican workers who are trimming and shaping Christmas trees; and mowing fields at the Ground Roots (Christmas tree farm), on August 15, 2019, in York, PA.
Leading the tour, Ground Roots co-owner and President Gerrit J. Strathmeyer talks about the business, operation and how important the H-2A visa program is for the Ground Roots workforce, Workers in this group have been returning for up to 20 years. For information about how USDA helps with the H-2A visa program, please visit this site: www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2019/04/03/usda-launche...
Since 1932, the Strathmeyer family’s “Ground Roots” has been suppling Evergreen and Christmas Tree stock and supplies to growers, wholesalers, landscapers, and homeowners. Ground Roots is a fifth generation family owned business. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung. Original public domain image from Flickr