"In Tioga County, where President Donald Trump won 75 percent of the vote in 2024, farmers are losing patience with the White House's promise of a quick solution for farm workers do. Their urgent need is highlighted by stories like those of a multigenerational dairy farm that sold off all its dairy cows because the owner could not find workers and another where a farmer's job listings have received no responses."
"I am no expert, but based on my extensive experience drinking (pasteurized) milk, I have concluded that cows are necessary for the efficient operation of a dairy farm. And people I know say that farmworkers are nearly as vital. Farmers in the rural region near the New York border say those stories are not unique. The whole thing is screwed up, said John Painter, a three-time Trump voter who runs an organic dairy farm in Westfield."
"We need people to do the jobs Americans are too spoiled to do. That's the spirit, fellas! We're all in this together! These are the voices Thompson and other farm-state lawmakers are hearing as they discuss potential solutions. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins' assurances that American workers and machines can help close the gap ring hollow among farmers who have become reliant on migrant labor that is increasingly hard to find in the face of Trump's immigration crackdown."
Tioga County farmers face acute labor shortages after a steep drop in migrant workers, with some farms selling all dairy cows and others receiving no job applicants. Many farms rely on migrant labor for daily operations, and local farmers view proposals to substitute American workers or machinery as inadequate. Farmers report frustration amid strong local political support for immigration-crackdown policies. Agriculture Secretary assurances contrast with on-the-ground reports of empty job listings and stalled operations. The U.S. agricultural workforce fell by 155,000—about 7 percent—between March and July, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, reflecting broader immigrant labor declines.
Read at www.esquire.com
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