NPPC: Loss of Foreign Workers Would Harm Agriculture

A recent study commissioned by the National Pork Producers Council took a look at what would happen to the Agriculture industry if foreign workers were no longer an option.  The study, which included economists from Iowa State University, used numbers from the USDA to determine that the absence would result in 3.4 to 5.5% decrease of farm workers nationwide.  NPPC’s Dustin Baker said foreign workers are vital for the rural economy to grow.

“In order to continue to do so and propel these economies forward they have to have access to a work force, so between the election and the animal care and the ability to continue to contribute to the rural economy, those are the main reason why we’ve taken such a leadership role.”

Making foreign workers even more important, Baker said, in light of the the negative population growth occurring in many rural states since 2010, as well as an aging farmer population.  He said lawmakers need to act if the ag community is going to prosper.  He added he’s hopeful something will soon move legislatively.

“When we go in and talk to legislators and their staff.  I mean, they understand the problem, we’ve done enough education and it’s pretty easy for them to understand.  I mean we have 4.1% unemployment across the country that’s a 17 year low.  And in a lot of these rural areas, you know, it’s much lower than that.”

Click Here to check out that study.

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