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Welch, Owens to offer dairy farmworker protections

Congressmen Peter Welch of Vermont and Bill Owens of New York plan to announce legislation that they say will help ensure a stable workforce for Vermont and New York dairy farmers.

Dairy farmers are ineligible for a federal agriculture visa program so many rely on immigrant farm workers who are in the country illegally.

Welch says with Congress set to start debating comprehensive immigrant reform, he and Owens will fight to get their bill or similar protections in any final reform package.

They plan to announce their proposal on Tuesday at the Burlington International Airport.

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