Farmers of all types of specialty crops, from almonds to roses, have seen the immigrant labor supply they depend on dry up over the past year, because increased border security and competition from other industries are driving migrant laborers out of the fields.

The problem is now reaching crisis proportions, food growers say.

* As much as 30 % of the year’s pear crop was lost in Northern California.
* More than 33% of Florida’s Valencia orange crop went unharvested.
* In New York, apples are rotting on the trees, because workers who once picked the fruit have fled frequent raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents

[Read](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/03/AR2006100301254.html (“Read the Story”) (Washington Post)

I guess this means we’ll see higher prices and more imports from China. 🙁