Labor
Georgia produce businesses continue to struggle with an acute lack of labor. Many blame the shortages on Georgia’s immigration policy, House Bill 87 (HB 87), which was signed into law—amidst much controversy—in May 2011.
The bill penalizes anyone who transports or harbors illegal immigrants in the state and requires all businesses with more than ten employees to use the federal E-Verify system to confirm worker eligibility. Although parts of HB 87 were temporarily enjoined as a result of the lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations, the law has already caused major headaches for Georgia growers, who rely heavily on an immigrant workforce.
“You would think we’d have folks lined up at our door to get a good job, but there’s a shortage of good labor these days,” says Lineberger. Thanks to the widespread labor shortages, thousands of acres of onions, cotton, melons, and other crops were left to rot in Georgia fields. The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association estimates that the state’s economy could lose close to $400 million and 3,200 jobs as a result of HB 87. According to some studies, Georgia farmers could suffer losses between $300 million on the low end and as high as $1 billion in losses due to the labor shortage.
Food Safety
After several high-profile fruit and vegetable outbreaks of E. coli and salmonella in recent years, food safety has become a hot topic for produce businesses in Georgia and across the United States and Canada. “Food safety and traceability is priority number-one for Coosemans,” says Young.
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), passed by Congress in 2010 and signed into law by President Obama in January 2011, represents the most sweeping reform of the nation’s food safety laws in more than 70 years. Though the Act’s goal of ensuring a safe food supply by shifting the focus from contamination response to prevention is accepted and applauded by most in the industry from grower-shippers and wholesalers to retailers and trade associations, how to actually implement and fund these measures remain major obstacles.
In the meantime, as the Food and Drug Administration reviews comments to its first salvo in the food safety war, many buyers and sellers believe the new regulations will be a costly nightmare—especially for small growers and businesses without a current food safety control or traceability program already in place.
These concerns are echoed throughout the Atlanta Market and far beyond Georgia. “Food safety is a big issue these days,” says Lineberger. “We’re in line with it, but it is a challenge for everybody in the business—whether it’s in Georgia or anywhere.”
