Immigration seen tied to food prices

WASHINGTON - Immigration policy that focuses solely on enforcement would cut agriculture production and cause a sharp rise in food prices, according to a new study released Monday.

The study - which was commissioned by the American Farm Bureau, the nation’s largest farm lobby organization - said food prices would increase an additional 5 to 6 percent over the next five years if enforcement-only policies were put into place, because of a lack of workers to harvest crops. It would cost the agriculture sector as much as $60 billion over the same period.

The study comes as Congress and the Obama administration are debating immigration overhaul proposals that would address the status of the country’s estimated 11 million illegal workers.