Jul 30, 2012

N.C. wary of possible farm labor shortage

North Carolina is a top producer of tobacco, sweet potatoes and other fruits and vegetables – but in the near future, farmers might not have enough workers to pick them.

Across the nation, the number of seasonal agricultural workers is shrinking, costing billions. That’s largely the result of a diminishing number of migrant workers coming from Mexico.

So far, North Carolina’s farmers say they aren’t experiencing a significant shortage. But harvest season has yet to peak in the state, so it’s difficult to tell whether the state will experience a lack of labor, said Larry Wooten, president of the N.C. Farm Bureau.

North Carolina has a strong guest worker visa program, and its immigration laws are not as strict as some nearby states.

The labor shortage is affecting each state differently, said Kristi Boswell, labor and immigration congressional relations director for the American Farm Bureau Federation in Washington. The Charlotte Observer