RALEIGH  - One of the state's leading farm advocacy organizations says more restrictions on immigrations could lead to a shutdown of farms.

State Farm Bureau president Larry Wooten says there's only so much you can do with automation.

"And while we are a highly technical industry with much mechanization, mechanization does not work on every farm. Many farmers do not have the option to mechanize because of the types of crops they grow."

More than 600 North Carolina farmers from 95 of the state’s 100 counties responded to the agriculture workforce survey, Wooten said the report shows more than 60% of surveyed farmers have had trouble hiring qualified domestic employees, and that nearly one-third reported a loss of income in the past 5 years due to an insufficient supply of workers.