Local farmers asked US Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to support immigration reform during his stop in Kern County. Perdue toured the Grimmway Farms facility in Arvin on Monday, where CEO Jeff Huckaby told him the situation is dire. The California Farm Bureau estimates 70% of seasonal farms are facing labor shortages.

Perdue also held a roundtable at the facility where farmers urged him to loosen some federal environmental rules that they feel are making their products too expensive.

Kelli Pierce