Interestingly, for 1987, the fern industry reported the highest wages paid for all
activities, including machine operation and for permanent employees. Why this trend
reversed is unclear. However, it should be noted that the fern industry is typically the
most likely sector to utilize seasonal labor.

Labor Supplies and the Impact of IRCA

 Questions were asked about employer attitudes concerning the supply of
seasonal workers during the peak week (Table 5). In 1987/88, 74 percent of
respondents deemed the supply adequate and 8 percent abundant. Conversely, nearly
20 percent believed seasonal labor supplies were inadequate. Of the three producer
groups, fern growers were the least likely to claim that labor supplies were
insufficient. By 1993 attitudes had shifted discernably. For the present study, nearly
90 percent of respondents believed supplies of seasonal labor were either adequate
or abundant. Similarly, the number claiming they were inadequate dropped from 18
to 11 percent.
 Finally, changes can also be seen regarding attitudes on the impact of IRCA on
labor availability (Table 6). During 1987/88, 53 percent of respondents felt that
"immigration laws" affected labor supplies adversely. Fern growers were most likely
(70 percent affirmed) to make this claim. In contrast to this, five years later only 40
percent of respondents believed immigration hurt labor supplies. However, fern
growers as a group remained unchanged in their views regarding IRCA, that is, 69
percent believed it was a problem.


 Concluding Comment

 Three separate methods were used to assess the effects of IRCA on the supply
and availability of labor on Florida's nursery industry. Basically, all three lead us to the
same conclusion, that the IRCA legislation has had little or no impact on ornamental
nurseries. In the 1987 wage and benefits study, considerable variability in wages was
found for similar types of activities. Some employers appeared concerned over
employee retention, others did not. One section of the study mentioned that some
nurseries experienced significant turnover rates, suggesting low pay and relatively
easy access to labor.
 For the nursery business analysis three indicators-- labor productivity, capital-
 labor intensity, and employee labor costs were examined for the 1984-1991 period.
 If immigration reform had restricted labor supplies significantly, compensating actions
 by nurseries would be expected, such as a substitution of capital for labor, higher
 labor costs, and greater productivity per employee. In fact, no such evidence could
 be found from the sample of nurseries examined, indicating that IRCA was not an
 impediment for the industry during this period.
 Finally, results of the labor study completed in March 1993 and compared to
 a similar study completed in 1988, gave no indication of labor supply restrictions. In