A new study from the American Immigration Council highlights the important role immigrants play in Texas’ food sector, including agriculture. The new report, “From Field to Fork: The Economic Impact of Immigration on the Texas Food Industry,” was produced in partnership with Texans for Economic Growth, a statewide organization of more than 160 members supported by the American Immigration Council. This report focuses on Texas, with a spotlight on the Houston metropolitan area.
The report was presented to the public at an event hosted by Amegy Bank in collaboration with multiple Texas-based partners. The regional event was designed to present the report’s findings and discuss the impact of immigration on Texas’ food industry with local leaders. The May 21 event featured a discussion with business and civic leaders about how Texas can act on this topic.
“Texas’ agriculture and food industry is the cornerstone of our state’s economy, generating more than $102 billion in economic output and supporting communities in every region of Texas,” said Chelsea Kramer, organizer with the American Immigration Council and Texas for Economic Growth. “This report highlights what Texas employers and community leaders already know firsthand: immigrants are essential to sustaining our food system. The report also highlights the reality that 14.5 percent of Texas’ food workers and 13.5 percent of the state’s agricultural workforce are undocumented immigrants, confirming that workforce stability and practical policy consultation are critical to the long-term strength and competitiveness of Texas’ food economy.”
“Texas restaurants are built by people who work hard, serve their neighbors, and help strengthen their communities. Immigrant workers have long been a part of that story, not just in restaurant kitchens and dining rooms, but across the farms, suppliers, and small businesses that make our food system work,” says Emily Williams Knight, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Texas Restaurant Association. “This report is an important reminder that practical workforce solutions exist that protect local businesses, keep food costs down and preserve the hospitality that characterizes communities across Texas.”
“This report provides critical data on the important role immigrants play in driving America’s food system through Texas, from farms to restaurants,” said Anne McBride, vice president of impact at the James Beard Foundation. “These two fields cannot exist without the other, and we face similar challenges when it comes to immigrant entrepreneurs and workers, which is why the James Beard Foundation is excited to collaborate in bringing this important work to the public.”
“This report highlights a reality Texas employers know all too well: immigrant workers are essential to the strength, stability, and competitiveness of our agriculture and food economy. As Texas continues to grow, we support producers, businesses, and consumers alike. Maintaining a reliable workforce continues to be critical to achieving our goals,” said Justin Yancey, president and CEO of the Texas Business Leadership Council, a network of senior business leaders across the state.
Main findings
Across Texas’ food sector, 400,500 immigrant workers make up nearly a quarter (24.9%) of the workforce and contribute to industries such as agriculture, food processing, food wholesale, food retail, and food service. Beyond farms and ranches, immigration is essential throughout the broader food supply chain. These interconnected industries rely on immigrant labor to transport food from origin to consumer. Immigrant workers in Texas have a variety of immigration statuses. About one-fifth of workers in the food sector were naturalized citizens, and 14.5 percent were undocumented workers, including individuals eligible for DACA. The state’s dependence on workers with a variety of immigrant statuses across the food industry means that changes in immigration policy will have a profound impact on workforce stability and the continued production and distribution of food. In 2024, agriculture, food processing, and food services generated $102.6 billion in economic output in Texas. The state exports $6.5 billion worth of agricultural products annually, accounting for a significant share of U.S. agricultural exports. Migrant workers occupy key occupations across the food sector. Of these, 47.8% were other agricultural workers, 31.7% were cooks, and 24.6% were cashiers. Farms, restaurants, and grocery stores rely on immigrants to fill critical front-line positions. In 2024, agriculture and food services generated approximately $2.7 million in GDP in the Houston metropolitan area, and immigrants made up more than a third (34.3 percent) of the food sector workforce.
Read the entire fact sheet for more information.
About the American Immigration Council
The American Immigration Council works to strengthen America by shaping how America thinks and acts about immigrants and immigrants, working toward a fairer and more just immigration system that opens doors to people in need of protection and unleashes the energy and skills that immigrants bring. The Council brings together problem solvers to drive change through four coordinated approaches: litigation, research, legislative and administrative advocacy, and communications. In January 2022, the Council and New American Economy merged to combine a wide range of advocacy tools to better expand and protect the rights of immigrants, more fully ensure their ability to succeed economically, and help make the communities in which they settle more welcoming. Follow the latest council news and information at ImmigrationImpact.com and on Twitter. @immcouncil.
About Texans aiming for economic growth
Texans for Economic Growth is a coalition of more than 145 Texas business leaders and associations dedicated to recognizing and supporting the positive impact immigrants have on the Texas economy as business owners, taxpayers and consumers. Upon its launch on February 26, 2019, the coalition announced the Texas Compact on Immigration. It is a set of principles signed by more than 145 Texas business leaders and organizations that guides immigration discussions at the state and federal level. Texans for Economic Growth supports common sense federal immigration reform and statewide policies that recognize the valuable contributions immigrants make to our state. For more information, visit txcompact.org.
