"Many of the farmers here see little hope coming from either the state or the federal government. It's disheartening for 23-year-old Cody Smith, who just returned to his family's Cullman farm after getting an agriculture degree.

He says the day after the law went into effect his 25-man sweet potato crew was down to six. Smith doesn't understand the motivation behind the crackdown.

"You got people's been living here 25 years. They've raised families here, they've got a residence; they've made a life here," Cody Smith said. "I've got very good friends, almost like family, that's been working for us for years and years. I don't think that's right."

He doesn't think the federal guest worker program is a viable option even if he could come up with a $1,000 or more to pay a contractor to process the paperwork.

"You have to pay them higher wages, you have to find them a place to live, you have to construct somewhere to live and it has to be approved by the government," he said. "That's tough. We don't have a lot of disposable income to be spending on such a thing."

But even if he could afford it, the time is a factor — Smith said he's got sweet potatoes in the ground that need digging right now."

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/24/141638999/labor-worries-rise-as-planting-season-nears-in-ala