( NewsNation ) — Bush-N-Vine Farm in York, South Carolina, is best known for its strawberries, apples, peppers and pumpkins.
The Hall family has had ups and downs with farming for over a century, but soaring migrant labor costs and inflation are straining their business operation to the max.
“Everything has just really exploded in price,” Susan Hall said. “And you can’t pass it all on to your customer.”
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Consumers get sticker shock at the grocery store. Since 2018, oranges are up 219%, milk is up 39% and tomatoes are up 20%.
But Susan’s son, Sam Hall, said he’s not concerned his family will have to quit.
“No, we’ll adapt,” he said. “We’ll keep farming, or we’ll die trying.”
The Halls are making payments on land, tractors and other machinery, and say they’re running out of places to cut financially. Farmers like the Halls want Americans to know they aren’t to blame.
Farming trials and tribulations
“Anything we’ve touched has gone up: Fuel, fertilizer, plant costs — you name it. But especially out labor costs,” Sam Hall said. “We’ve seen a 22% increase in the past two years.”