Ag labor issues aren’t likely to ease anytime soon, CoBank warns

Farm labor is a big issue on ag lawmaker’s plates this year. It has been in the spotlight with President Trump’s deportation efforts.

Researchers at CoBank have been studying the issue for some time now, and they warn it could soon have a big impact on not just farms, but rural communities as a whole.

CoBank warns the already tight labor market could get even more strained, especially in areas like the upper Midwest. They found that those communities often lack the flow of immigrants needed to offset the aging ag workforce.

CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange warns that areas facing labor issues right now will not see relief anytime soon. They also warn that the problem will not cycle out.

Related Stories
As ag lawmakers in the Senate await the House vote on the Farm Bill, they are eager to discuss the challenges farmers face before it is their turn to take up the critical legislation.
The Trump Administration’s new rule limiting CDL renewals for immigrant truckers is seeing mixed reactions in agriculture. While some support the change, it is raising concerns about higher freight costs and impacts on U.S. grain export competitiveness.
The changing political climate in America is leading to a drop in migrant crossings near the U.S.-Mexico border, where ranchers like Dr. Mike Vickers say they witnessed horrors from death to child trafficking.
RFD NEWS correspondent Frank McCaffrey recently spoke with Dr. Mike Vickers, a South Texas rancher, who says illegal border crossings have dramatically declined in the last year.
Rural population growth and stabilizing economic indicators point to post-pandemic recovery, but uneven income, shifting industries, and regional divides remain key challenges for rural communities.
RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey speaks with Texas’s Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez about USMCA renegotiation and its impact on U.S.–Mexico agriculture trade.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Roger McEowen with the Washburn School of Law joins us now with the highlights.
The Arkansas Farm Bureau offers a ‘Beef in the Classroom’ grant to assist with ag education. Applications for that program open in August.
Seth Boffeli, AARP Fraud Watch Network Senior Advisor, brings us a preview of tonight’s “RURAL AMERICA LIVE with AARP,” which will focus on tips for fighting fraud.
A group of 32 Democratic senators is urging ag lawmakers to halt their opposition to Prop 12 in the next Farm Bill.
In honor of Rural Road Safety Week, we’re highlighting some commonly overlooked hazards on rural roads, where 40 percent of all fatal crashes in the United States occur.
The network includes labs across the country that track diseases like New World Screwworm, which could see a rise in cases with hurricane season approaching.