The labor force in agriculture is declining and has been for some time. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, there are around 2.4 million farm positions that need to be filled each year, yet the number of workers is drastically decreasing.
The shortages are caused by several factors. According to the agriculture bureau, immigrants from South America and Mexico make up more than 73% of farm workers. Although the number of accepted applications for immigrants has climbed to 250,000 thanks to the United States’ H2-A visa program, which permits firms who meet certain standards to bring in foreign laborers for temporary work, this number still pales in comparison to the country’s labor needs.
A profession in agriculture isn’t necessarily simple or profitable, which is another factor. The US Department of Agriculture claims that farmers only receive 7.6 cents for every dollar spent on food.