Farmers across the United States are raising alarms over President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed mass deportations, warning that removing undocumented workers could devastate the agricultural sector.
Joe Del Bosque, a 75-year-old California farmer, emphasized the reliance on immigrant labor, stating:
“When they’re needed, they welcome them. When they don’t need them, they want to kick them out. Right now, the country doesn’t know that they do need some of these workers.”
Nearly half of the 2.4 million people working in US agriculture are undocumented, according to the Department of Labor. Experts agree that deportations would cause worker shortages, disrupt food supplies, and drive up prices.
Rick Naerebout, executive director of the Idaho Dairy Producers Association, warned:
“It would only take a couple of days of disruption and not being able to feed or milk our cows to damage our industry beyond repair.”
Farm labor is physically demanding, often performed in extreme weather conditions. Despite claims that immigrants are “stealing” jobs, Del Bosque and Naerebout noted that Americans rarely apply for these positions. Naerebout cited a contractor who advertised 6,000 roles but received fewer than 30 domestic applications, only two of which resulted in hires—and neither made it to harvest.
“Americans don’t want these jobs,” Naerebout concluded.
While Trump’s campaign rhetoric painted immigrants as a source of crime and overcrowding, many farmers hope common sense will prevail. California dairy farmer Tom Barcellos expressed optimism, saying:
“Those that have the power know we’re not going to go raid agriculture because that’s the food source for the American people.”
Del Bosque added that bureaucratic hurdles for legal immigration have made it nearly impossible for farmers to secure the labor they need. He warned that without reforms, the nation’s food supply could face long-term risks.
“If Americans value fresh fruits and vegetables, they need to consider that we have to have a reliable workforce to have a reliable food supply,” he said.
Naerebout echoed this sentiment, urging bipartisan action to resolve the immigration crisis:
“We’ve been frustrated for 20 years trying to find a pathway forward. Both parties are at fault. The problem seems more useful as a political fundraiser than something to solve.”
With Trump set to take office on January 20, the agricultural industry faces an uncertain future as it grapples with the potential fallout of his immigration policies.
