What would happen if there weren't enough farm workers to work Illinois farms?
That prospect has a lot of Illinois farmers worried these days.
The state has 73, 000 farms…producing 28 million acres of fruits and vegetables a year.
Machines pick a lot of the corn and soybeans the state is known for.
But specialty crops—like berries and peppers—also play a big part in the state's agriculture economy.
And those crops are hand-picked, mostly by Mexican men…at least 32,000 a season.
But their numbers are dwindling.
As part of our Chicago Matters: Beyond Borders series, Chicago Public Radio's Michael Puente looks at what it would take for Illinois farmers to have the hands they need.