Minnesota Farmers Union President Gary Wertish says the state's farming workforce is facing some uncertainty in the wake of "Operation Metro Surge," the federal immigration operation that descended on the Twin Cities, and areas across the state since early December.
Wertish, speaking to the WCCO Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar, warned that the operation damaged trust within rural communities, and has put the local agricultural economy in jeopardy.
"We don't have enough workforce. Farmers or business owners, you know, we're an aging society," Wertish explained. "We need a steady influx of immigrants to help build the workforce, and, you know, that's where our immigration system really needs to be reformed."
Wertish says that many long-term, undocumented residents are essential to processing plants and farms, and their sudden absence could disrupt the entire food supply chain.
He says 70% of U.S. farm workers are foreign-born, and that many farmers may struggle to find enough help to maintain current production levels.
That becomes much more difficult if people are scared to come to work, says Wertish. Under U.S. federal law, while employing undocumented workers is prohibited, undocumented seasonal farmworkers are generally protected.
The Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) does protect migrant and seasonal agricultural workers by establishing employment standards related to wages, housing, transportation, disclosures and recordkeeping. The MSPA also requires farm labor contractors to register with the U.S. Department of Labor.
But Wertish said many undocumented, season workers may look to other states or even other countries after what took place in Minnesota.
"Some have owned businesses and some are working, you know, as a good employee," Wertish said. "So a lot of it is, you know, the problem with our immigration system that is broken and really needs to get fixed."
He says without major changes Minnesota consumers may start seeing higher prices at the grocery store, and that immigrant labor will be vital for the upcoming planting season.