Farmers in Alabama are reportedly cutting back on crops this year due to a new law that could lead to a shortage of labor, according to The Associated Press.
The Alabama state legislature has recently cracked down on illegal immigration, causing many immigrants to leave the state. That's left farmers with a shortage of workers who would normally help pick crops.
Keith Dickie, a tomato farmer in the northern part of the state, says he was forced to reduce the acreage of his fields this year, as he feared not having enough workers to pick the crops. Last summer, Dickie says a shortage of workers meant many of his tomatoes turned rotten before they could be picked.
"There's too much uncertainty," Dickie told the news source.
While some crops can be picked with agricultural equipment, such as combine harvesters, that's not the case for crops that are defined as "labor-intensive." Mac Higginbottom of the Alabama Farmers Federation says his organization has not yet done an official study on the effects the new law is having on farms. However, he believes the issue could be a big one for farmers who traditionally plant labor-intensive crops.
"I think this year will really show how much of a labor shortage is actually out there and it will reflect in the produce availability [and] prices eventually," Higginbottom told the news source.
The law has been the subject of controversy since being enacted, with several lawsuits seeking to block parts of the law arising. State legislators say they hope to tweak the bill in the coming months, but want the state to remain tough on immigration.
Ultimately, a farmer with access to only a few pieces of agricultural equipment will not be able to plant as much as one who has many different machines. The online auction site IronPlanet offers a wide variety of used agricultural equipment, often at a more affordable price than buying new.
