Arizona farmers are letting the cat out of the bag on one of the many ways the migrant crisis is impacting America’s Agriculture and Food Economy. Per this report, migrants are accused of inadvertently destroying their produce by crossing through their fields.
Apparently, the migrants have been crossing through farms and as such are ‘contaminating’ their crops. Farmers are frustrated because if through they say that they have quarantined the areas, they are unable to control the fact that migrants are using their farmlands as a gateway through which to enter the United States.
Imagine as migrants are crossing, they may urinate or defecate onto or near their crops. These crops are then harvested and shipped to be sold to their American Consumers. As you know, bodily fluids have the propensity to transmit various diseases, among them the popular E. coli which is present in feces. The presence of E. coli in and on many fruits and vegetables is the subject of large recalls in the US each year.
Especially vulnerable to contamination are greens and leafy vegetables. These are food items that cannot be scrubbed clean or subjected to rigorous cleansing. According to this report, the Yuma Agricultural leaders, the leafy green is mostly produced during the winter months. Many of these farms supply approximately 90% of the nation’s romaine and iceberg lettuce.
Another issue being raised by large groups of unknown migrants entering the country is that some may have criminal records.
This is posing another problem with production; many females work in the agricultural industry and these females are now afraid to work alone or work overnight hours as they fear what could happen should they encounter these migrants alone.
Within the past two years, migrants entering the United States have exploded to previously unheard-of amounts. Their presence is cited as 'straining' the American economy greatly, especially coming off the heels of the pandemic.
If farms are unable to sell their crops, this produces a shortage which translates to the consumers' pocket. Many food items are at an all-time high and many households are already feeling the pressure.
Arizona farmers are asking that the Federal Government help provide some security at the borders.
These leafy green vegetables could be coming to a dinner plate near you!
What are your thoughts?
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