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.
Approximately 42,000 birds were affected in the outbreak, officials said.
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In a final rule published in the Federal Register, the Department states that it will no longer base wage rates on the Farm Labor Survey.
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Farmers are in the midst of harvest as the government descends into a shutdown and the Farm Bill expires. Key federal departments, crop reporting, and aid programs important to the agricultural sector are now on hold.
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Farmers face tighter barge capacity and higher freight costs during peak harvest.
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Jeramy Stephens, with National Land Realty, says that despite today’s economic headwinds, farmland remains a resilient asset — and understanding local conditions is key to making sound decisions.
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The U.S. pork industry is staying vigilant in keeping its supply safe from foreign animal diseases like African Swine Fever.
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