CBS Atlanta 46Exclusive: CBS Atlanta investigates migrant labor shortage on GA farms

On a hot, humid, 100 degree day in south Georgia, CBS Atlanta's Mike Paluska worked alongside migrant laborers for a day.

Picking blackberries, Paluska spoke to the farm owner and the workers about the effects of House Bill 87.

Recent studies from the Department of Agriculture and the Georgia Agribusiness Council show farmers are losing a majority of their workforce to other states. States that don't have tough immigration laws like the one Georgia passed in May.

House Bill 87 goes into effect July 1. But that is not stopping migrant workers from fleeing the state by the thousands.

Currently, there are 11,000 vacancies in the farm industry. CBS Atlanta News wanted to know how these vacancies were affecting farmers and what it would be like to work on a farm for a day. CBS Atlanta's Mike Paluska worked on a blackberry farm in Wray, GA. Paluska picked blackberries with migrant workers for more than ten hours. In that time, Paluska earned roughly $60 after picking 17 boxes of blackberries at $3.50 a box.

Out of 200 workers on the farm 200 were picking blackberries. Farm owner, J.W. Paulk said that is 100 workers less than last year.

"I would say right now we have lost over $100,000 and by the end of the season it will be over $200,000 in lost sales," said Paulk.

Paulk said he has tried recruiting from the local labor pool but has had no luck.

"We put in job requests with the local Department of Labor, and we have not had a single person come," said Paulk.

Governor Nathan Deal released a statement last week. In that statement he said that farmers could use probationers to fill the 11,000 vacancies left behind by migrant workers. It was a statement Paulk said he was shocked to hear.

"It's a joke. No disrespect to the governor. But, it is a skill," said Paulk. "It's something that is very meticulous, and I am doubtful that (probationers) would be suitable labor for us."

Paluska learned first-hand that working in the fields is a skill. Most of the skilled laborers doubled the amount of blackberries picked. At times, Paluska even slowed down the line while quality control checked to make sure his blackberries were suitable to be shipped."

Paulk said local workers are far and few between. "Normally, they do not last usually less than a day because of the heat, and because they just can't pick fast enough to make a decent wage."

"The economy is in such bad shape and there are really no jobs out you have to do what you have to do," said Becky Musgrove. CBS Atlanta News spoke to Musgrove on her fourth day picking blackberries.

"If you need a job, and need money, there is nothing wrong with coming out here and working," said Musgrove. Musgrove has been unemployed for two years. Unlike other unemployed Georgians, Musgrove said she couldn't afford to sit around the house and not work. Musgrove will earn half of what the migrant workers will but says every little bit helps.

"Money got tight at home, and with only one of us working and all the bills I had to do something, I had to do something. Any little bit will help even if I don't make but $150. It's enough to buy groceries."

Workers told CBS Atlanta News once this harvest was over they were leaving Georgia for good.

"We are working hard just to work, and they want to criminalize us for working in the field," said Valentin Guerrero. "The only reason we came was to work, not to hurt anybody. How the law is now, we don't want to come back. We feel there is a lot of discrimination."

"If the Hispanic race leaves who is going to work in the farms?" asked Valentin Duque. "The Americans aren't going to work in the farms."