Mediaboss Marketing

The American Farm Bureau Federation study says said that fruit and vegetable growers would be among the hardest-hit in changes to agricultural labor reform focusing solely on immigration enforcement.(Photo: John Moore, Getty Images)

WASHINGTON The country's largest farm group said Monday that changes to agricultural labor reform focusing solely on immigration enforcement would raise food prices by 6% and reduce the country's food and fiber production by as much as a $60 billion annually.

In a 45-page study released by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the agriculture group said that fruit and vegetable growers and livestock owners would be hit the hardest.

According to the report, under an enforcement-only scenario fruit production would plummet in the United States by 30% to 61%, vegetable output by 15% to 31%. The impact to fruits and vegetable crops would be the most severe because they must be picked by hand, meaning a sudden loss in workers would increase the chance that some of the produce would go unpicked and rot in the field. Livestock also would be hit with production falling by 13% to 27%,the farm group said.

The report found that consumers and the agricultural sector would benefit from a comprehensive approach that includes an overhauled guest-worker program, the chance for skilled workers to earn an adjustment of status over time and immigration enforcement. A mixed approach would have little to no effect on the price consumers pay for food, and farm income would be cut by less than 1%.

The report was conducted for the Farm Bureau by World Agricultural Economic and Environmental Services.

"Status quo is not a viable option for anyone involved in this issue, and as a nation, we expect better," said Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau.

"Over five years, an enforcement-only approach would lead to losses in farm income large enough to trigger large scale restructuring of the sector, higher food prices, and greater dependence on imported products," Stallman said. "With a reworked guest worker program, and by allowing skilled laborers to earn an adjustment of status, food prices remain stable and there are only marginal impacts on production."

The chance of immigration reform grew even more uncertain after House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, last week cast doubts that a bill can pass this year, saying House Republicans weren't moving a bill because of "widespread doubt about whether this administration can be trusted to enforce our laws." Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who sponsored the comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate last year, has proposed letting the law be enforced in 2017, after President Obama leaves the White House.

STORY: Boehner: Distrust of Obama drags down immigration bill

Follow this link:

Farm group pushes for broad immigration reform