At the Fortune Most Powerful Women (MPW) Summit Tuesday morning, Land O’Lakes CEO Beth Ford warned that American farmers face a critical labor shortage that could lead to a “black swan event” if the U.S. doesn’t institute more pathways for legal immigration. “While there might be some discussion on undocumented, et cetera, this is critical for the health of the economy,” she said.
Ford, who chairs the Business Roundtable’s immigration committee, told the MPW audience that farmers “absolutely need labor,” adding that “we need more legal immigration” as an economic driver for businesses and the broader U.S. economy. For some context, America’s agricultural sector is currently grappling with mounting pressures from trade disputes, farm bankruptcies, and an increasingly restrictive immigration environment.
