When we picture Juniata County, we think of our beautiful farms, fresh food, and hardworking communities. What we often fail to see, however, are the undocumented workers who make this abundance possible.

Pennsylvania agriculture depends heavily on immigrant labor. It’s estimated that nearly 50% of farm workers and as many as half of meatpacking plant employees are undocumented. These workers do the backbreaking work of planting, picking, milking, and processing. They are the reason we have food on our tables.

Here in Juniata County, our 514 farms produce nearly $200 million in food annually. That success wouldn’t be possible without the essential labor of undocumented immigrants. They are part of our towns and churches, they pay taxes, and they raise their children here—often while living in fear.

They face significant barriers: lack of legal protection, risk of deportation, and exclusion from many public programs. Yet they continue to work—often silently—because our system relies on them.

It’s time we see them. It’s time we speak up.

Supporting these workers isn’t a political stance; it’s a moral one. Let us stand with those who feed us. Let us honor their labor with dignity, protection, and inclusion.

Because without them, we don’t eat.