Edward Conard

Top Ten New York Times Bestselling Author

  • “Unintended Consequences offers deep and well-argued analyses on almost every issue.” - The New York Times
  • “…reminds us that inequality sends a signal of what society lacks most, in America’s case, entrepreneurship and risk taking.” - Lawrence Lindsey, CEO, The Lindsey Group, former Director of the National Economic Council
  • “…a fresh argument for the productive value of inequality.” - David Autor, Professor of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • “…challenges misconceptions that distort our economic debates.” - Arthur Brooks, President of the American Enterprise Institute
  • “…a fresh argument for the productive value of inequality.” - David Autor, Professor of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • “…serious thinking for serious thinkers. …a thought-provoking blueprint for growing middle- and working-class incomes.” - Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts
  • “…challenges misconceptions that distort our economic debates.” - Arthur Brooks, President of the American Enterprise Institute
  • “…a very valuable contribution.” - Larry Summers, former Secretary of the Treasury and director of the National Economic Council, president emeritus, Harvard University
  • “…a must-read for serious students of economic policy.” - Glenn Hubbard, Dean, Columbia Business School, and former Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers
  • “…reminds us that inequality sends a signal of what society lacks most, in America’s case, entrepreneurship and risk taking.” - Lawrence Lindsey, CEO, The Lindsey Group, former Director of the National Economic Council
  • “…a comprehensive explanation of the modern economy.” - Julian Robertson, Founder, Tiger Management
  • “…a comprehensive explanation of the modern economy.” - Julian Robertson, Founder, Tiger Management
Upside of Inequality Oxford Unintended Consequences

AI Summary. About two-thirds of U.S. crop-farm workers are foreign-born and 42% lack legal authorization to work, according to a Labor Department report, with immigrant labor concentrated in jobs such as picking fruit, applying pesticides, operating machinery, and slaughtering livestock. Agriculture trade groups are lobbying for expanded use of temporary work visas.

Patrick Thomas Wall Street Journal
Date Posted:

2/3 of US crop farm workers are foreign-born and 42% aren’t legally authorized to work in the country. Agriculture trade groups are seeking an expansion of temporary work visas to limit the impact of changes in immigration enforcement.

Does US food production depend on immigrant workers?

Core argument: About two-thirds of U.S. crop-farm workers are foreign-born and 42% are not legally authorized to work in the country, according to a Labor Department report.

America’s food-supply chain relies on a predominantly immigrant workforce for some of its most challenging jobs, such as picking fruit, applying pesticides on crops, operating machinery and slaughtering livestock. About two-thirds of U.S. crop-farm workers are foreign-born, and 42% aren’t legally authorized to work in the country, according to a Labor Department report. Agriculture trade groups are lobbying the incoming administration for the expanded use of temporary work visas. Some farms and meatpackers are forging deeper ties with recruiters who can ensure a steady labor supply.

Takeaways by Macro Roundup® AI

  1. About two-thirds of U.S. crop-farm workers are foreign-born and 42% are not legally authorized to work in the country, according to a Labor Department report.
  2. America's food-supply chain depends on a predominantly immigrant workforce for jobs including picking fruit, applying pesticides, operating machinery and slaughtering livestock.
  3. Agriculture trade groups are lobbying the incoming administration for expanded use of temporary work visas, while some farms and meatpackers forge deeper ties with recruiters who can ensure a steady labor supply.

Related Articles:

  • How Immigration Remade the U.S. Labor Force — The Congressional Budget Office estimates more than 9m people have migrated on net to the U.S. in recent years, nearly matching the prior decade's total and lifting population growth to almost 1.2% a year. Fewer than 30% are lawful permanent residents; without immigration, growth would be 0.2%.
  • Without Immigrants, US Working-Age Population Would Shrink — All net US employment growth since early 2020 has been among foreign-born workers, and without immigration the US working-age population would be shrinking — a pattern likely to persist for the rest of the decade. The jump in immigration appears to be enabling a soft landing that most economists had thought impossible.
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