As part of its commitment to strengthening North Carolina’s business climate and rural economies, the NC Chamber commissioned this research to highlight the economic impact of current Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) policy on U.S. fruit and vegetable production, farmers, and rural communities. In partnership with the NC Chamber, Dr. Blake Brown’s research explores an alternative economic reality if AEWR had been indexed to cost-of-living adjustments instead of a compounding methodology, and the significant upside in terms of jobs, production, and economic growth that could result from reform.
