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Some Segments of the Agricultural Economy Are Particularly Sensitive to Changes in the Foreign-Born Farm Labor Supply

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Abstract

For years, many segments of the U.S. agriculture sector have relied on foreign-born and undocumented workers to meet labor demand in farm operations. While farm operators may be able to partly reduce this reliance through investments in machinery and further hiring through the agricultural guest worker visa program, these alternatives would take time to deploy and could substantially increase costs.

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  • Alexandra Hill & Francisco Scott, 2025. "Some Segments of the Agricultural Economy Are Particularly Sensitive to Changes in the Foreign-Born Farm Labor Supply," Economic Bulletin, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, pages 1-4, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedkeb:101745
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    1. Diane Charlton & J. Edward Taylor, 2016. "A Declining Farm Workforce: Analysis of Panel Data from Rural Mexico," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 98(4), pages 1158-1180.
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