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Report: Farmers can’t meet produce demand

A group pushing Congress for immigration reform says U.S. farmers don’t have the labor force to meet consumer demand for fresh U.S. grown fruits and vegetables. That’s according to a recent report commissioned by about 70 agriculture groups, including the American Farm Bureau. The report’s title hints at its conclusions: No Longer Home Grown – How Labor Shortages are Increasing America’s Reliance on Imported Fresh Produce and Slowing U.S. Economic Growth.

The report shows the share of fresh fruits and vegetables imported and consumed by American families has grown by over 79 percent in recent years. It also shows that U.S. fresh produce demand and consumption have grown, but production hasn’t.

Another finding from the report is that U.S. GDP would have been $12.4 billion higher in 2012 if U.S. fresh fruit and vegetable growers had been able to maintain domestic market share. The report says U.S. farmers are unable to maintain domestic market share because of the inadequacies of the H-2A visa program. Labor alone accounts for as much as $3.3 billion in missed GDP growth in 2012 and for $1.4 billion in farm income not realized in 2012.

American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman says the report provides more evidence pointing in the same direction, that farmers and consumers both need responsible immigration reform.

The NAFB News Service contributed to this article.