Ag labor has been a significant concern for farmers for decades. Some industry leaders say that if foreign-born workers are deported, it will be hard to find replacements.
According to the National Council of Farmers Cooperatives (NCFC), President and CEO Chuck Conner says, there is only one other option.
“The alternative, you know, to growing it here in America -- having handled, processed, and harvested with foreign-born workers -- is that we simply move that production,” Conner explained. “Down to where those foreign-born workers may have probably come from, originally anyway, out of this country.”
However, Connor said that would impact food quality in America in a dramatic way.
“If you surveyed most consumers, they may not understand -- but if you asked them, ‘Would you rather [your food] be produced here in the United States?’ They would say, ‘Heck yes.’” Connor said. “And I think food safety is one of the key reasons they would say, ‘heck yes,’ and it’s not just a nationalism kind of thing. They believe U.S. products would be better and safer.”
Connor added, there’s a growing demand among consumers for more information about where their food comes from – and, he said, that’s a good thing.
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Brooks York of AgriSompo discusses projected prices and how farmers are adapting their crop insurance strategies as the price discovery period comes to a close.
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Ranger Road Fire has burned 283,000 acres across Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle and is nearing containment, as ranchers begin assessing cattle and infrastructure losses as they look toward recovery.
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The long-term viability of a ranching operation often hinges on how effectively its owners navigate the overlapping layers of IRS regulations, state tax incentives, and USDA disaster programs.
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Iowa farmer Derek Hommer joined us to discuss grain bin safety, ongoing prevention efforts, and the importance of community preparedness during Nationwide’s Grain Bin Safety Week.
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