A contributor to today’s Rants and Raves makes a good point about our local farm production. There are no combines that can harvest tomatoes and other such perishable crops. They are labor intensive.

This commentary is not intended to take a position on legals vs. illegals in our community, etc. It is meant to take a close look at our local farm economy which is indeed a factor relative to migrant labor and any political resolve that might come from any analyses.

Our annual farm income for Colquitt County is close to $500 million.  Of that amount, a little less than a third can be attributed to vegetable production.

Unlike peanuts, corn and cotton, vegetables cannot be stored and held for higher prices. The grower must hit that narrow window of marketing opportunity with spring and fall crops. 

And on the day these crops mature — tomatoes, melons, cabbage, other greens, squash, peppers, etc. — a plentiful work force with incredible stamina must be on hand to harvest. 

It is estimated that on any given day, Colquitt County has some 15,000 migrants, most of whom are engaged in some aspect of our diversified agriculture scene. And no, we do not have a labor force outside of those workers who could or would perform these labor intensive farming tasks.

Keep in mind that our farming scheme here once included hog production and many fields of tobacco. At one point, in the heyday of Swift Packing Co., this county was the second or third leading hog producer in the state. As well, it was the top tobacco producer and the largest tobacco marketing community in a tri-state area.

Pork went away, and for the most part tobacco production is minimal compared to the 1960s.

Thus entered vegetables to fill those voids. 

Vegetable production is somewhat volatile when we consider the many factors of growing, harvesting and marketing. And it’s a vital part of our county’s economic infrastructure.

So as we think about political issues in this regard, we would be remiss not to look several layers deep into these economic implications just so we have the complete picture. It’s not an issue to be oversimplified with rhetoric.