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.
ARC/PLC, marketing loans, and crop insurance each matter at different points in the price cycle — and the new Farm Bill strengthens the balance among them.
November 10, 2025 01:38 PM
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Kate Walker has the story, highlighting how students are learning to protect and preserve natural resources while gaining valuable technical and teamwork skills.
November 10, 2025 12:40 PM
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Experts highlight the importance of monitoring insecticide resistance in crops and improving disease traceability at livestock shows through RFID technology.
November 10, 2025 12:22 PM
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Lewie Pugh, with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report to share his perspective on what the bill could mean for truckers.
November 10, 2025 11:46 AM
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Here is a regional snapshot of harvest pace, crop conditions, logistics, and livestock economics across U.S. agriculture for the week of Monday, Nov. 10, 2025.
November 10, 2025 10:48 AM
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Mike Newland with the Propane Education & Research Council shares how producers can prepare for winter weather and the benefits of propane.
November 07, 2025 12:03 PM
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Verified U.S. data show real leather’s carbon footprint is lower than advertised — an edge for the American cattle industry in both marketing and byproduct value.
November 07, 2025 11:32 AM
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Distillers dried grains (DDG) values follow corn and soybean meal trends, with ethanol grind and feed demand shaping costs into early 2026.
November 07, 2025 10:45 AM
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Recognizing phosphorus and potash as critical minerals underscores their importance in crop production and food security, providing producers with an added layer of risk protection.
November 06, 2025 03:40 PM
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