More On Immigration Reform

Immigration reform is once again being talked. The problem is not by the right people. Failure by the U.S. Congress to address immigration reform has had a tremendous impact on the nation's farms and ranches. American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman says agriculture needs an answer to resolve a labor shortage.

STALLMAN: We've been facing huge labor challenges. Crops have been rotting in the field. The newest study actually corroborates what we had found in our previous study was that we basically missed about $3.3-billion dollars in GDP growth in 2012 because of the inadequacy of our agricultural guest worker program.

Stallman says agriculture production will decline and consumers will feel the impact if Congress doesn't act quickly.

STALLMAN: If we go foreword with an enforcement only approach which as you know some people in America would like to see, then we will have a drop in fruit production in this county of 61%, a drop in vegetable production of 31%m food prices would increase 5 to 6% for consumers.

Stallman says both farmers and consumers will benefit if congress addresses the difficult task at hand on immigration reform.  Immigration reform legislation was approved in the U.S. Senate last year but has yet to see a meaningful effort toward progress in the Republican led House of Representatives.

That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.