Labor Shortage Worries Farmers in Alabama and Georgia

From the Associated Press:

It’s unclear whether farmers in Georgia and Alabama will face a shortage of workers due to tough new laws targeting undocumented immigration, but some producers said they have begun changing their plans for planting and harvesting this year’s crops.

Some farmers said they might reduce the number of acres they plant or shift to less labor-intensive crops, while others are bracing for higher labor prices and have turned to new recruiting tools to attract workers.

“We’re expecting some shifts, but it’s a bit too early to tell,” said Charles Hall, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.

Georgia and Alabama have approved laws that have tough enforcement provisions that farmers say are scaring migrant workers away from the states.

Since the laws were approved last year, farmers in both states have reported labor shortages because migrant workers aren’t showing up and they say they can’t find other workers to fill the jobs. Farmers and state officials have said that some produce was left to rot in the field last year because there weren’t enough workers to help with the harvest. Read more…

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