Kennewick, Washington — A farm labor group is planning a trip south of the border to recruit seasonal Mexican farm workers to help Washington state farmers to harvest their crops this year.

The Washington Farm Labor Association aims to recruit about 3,000 workers at the job fair today - Monday, February 11th - in the border town of Nogales, Mexico. The goal is for those workers then to be accepted into the federal H-2A program for temporary agricultural workers.

Nearly 4,000 Mexican workers labored in Washington fields and warehouses last year through the program.

Felix Vargas of Pasco, Washington is a retired diplomat and former vice consul in Mexico who is now a volunteer senior adviser for the group. He reported that more than 5,000 prospective workers already have registered to attend the job fair.