Farmers struggle to find field workers as many are 'living in fear' amid rising immigration enforcement

Farmers struggle to find field workers as many are 'living in fear' amid rising immigration enforcement

By: Sahana Patel Originally Posted 5:00 PM, Apr 15, 2026 MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho (KIVI) — It has been a tough year for Idaho farmers dealing with less water, higher fuel costs, and fewer workers in the fields. Bethany Gotts owns Quey’s Farm in Mountain Home, a 500-acre family operation she took over after her father passed away. With fewer workers, a lot of the manual labor is left up to her. Gotts said a crackdown on immigration enforcement is mak…