America urgently needs immigration reform to support U.S. farmers, Land O’Lakes CEO Beth Ford said Thursday. While farmers generally back President Trump’s economic agenda, Ford warned that labor shortages and lost profits are a “real concern.”
“What needs to be recognized is the necessity of having labor available,” Ford said. “Broad immigration reform is critical.” She emphasized that farmers “invest in this country” and that the agricultural community is heavily represented in the military. Still, she added, “The first thing they talk to me about is labor, immigration, [and] the lack of available workers for their farms.”
Ford, who chairs the Business Roundtable’s immigration committee, noted that immigrants make up about half of America’s farm labor force. Meanwhile, with commodity prices falling and many farmers struggling to turn a profit, Trump’s tariffs are adding new pressures. Ford said she is especially concerned about the long-term impact, warning that by 2026, tariffs could dramatically reshape the trade landscape.