American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall has voiced concerns regarding the resumption of immigration enforcement on farms and ranches. Duvall highlighted the unique challenges faced by the agriculture sector, stating that it requires a distinct approach to enforcement practices.
“President Trump recently emphasized agriculture faces unique circumstances that warrant a different approach to enforcement practices,” said Duvall. He explained that farming is labor-intensive and relies heavily on workers who are willing to perform demanding tasks alongside farm families.
Duvall pointed out issues with current agricultural workforce programs, describing them as inadequate for meeting farmers’ year-round needs and too costly for many. “Current agriculture workforce programs are broken. They do not meet the year-round needs of farmers, and they’ve become so expensive they are out of reach for many farmers,” he stated.
He also noted the lack of domestic applicants for farm jobs despite significant recruitment efforts. “Unfortunately, domestic workers do not apply for farm jobs, despite aggressive hiring efforts,” Duvall remarked. The absence of sufficient farm workers could lead to unharvested crops and unmilked cows, ultimately reducing food supply and increasing grocery prices nationwide.
