The International Fresh Produce Association has called the immigration raids that the Trump Administration conducted last week “disruptive” to the industry. 

In a statement to its members, IFPA said, “The fresh produce industry proudly grows, harvests, and distributes billions of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to American families every year.”

“To meet the ongoing demand for our nutritious products, the industry needs a stable, legal, and predictable workforce. We employ U.S. and foreign workers, but labor shortages and legislative uncertainty threaten the agricultural industry’s ability [to] ensure fresh fruits and vegetables reach consumers,” IFPA said.

“Enforcement actions targeting agricultural laborers are highly disruptive to farm operations and the produce supply chain consumers rely on. They are also the culmination of decades of inaction from policymakers and a broken labor system. These actions are exacerbating an already fragile labor situation, threatening the long-term viability of U.S. agriculture, and impacting the broader supply chain, from packers and wholesalers to retailers and transportation providers.

“IFPA appreciates President Trump’s comments acknowledging the importance of protecting the agricultural workforce for food security of the American people. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with the president on urgent steps to safeguard the food supply and call on Congress to deliver long-overdue, permanent reforms to the country’s broken farmworker system,” IFPA said.