Georgia's harsh anti-illegal immigration law was signed into law in May by Gov. Nathan Deal. Can you smell the patriotism in the air? It smells like rotting vegetables:

Thanks to the resulting labor shortage, Georgia farmers have been forced to leave millions of dollars' worth of blueberries, onions, melons and other crops unharvested and rotting in the fields. It has also put state officials into something of a panic at the damage they've done to Georgia's largest industry.

Yikes! According to a survey by the Agriculture Commissioner's office, farmers will need at least 11,000 workers over the course of the season. Deal has suggested that farmers hire the 2,000 ex-cons living in southwest Georgia; the commenters on this Atlanta Journal-Constitution have their own suggestions, such as "work subpoenas." Fewer than 200 of those 11,000 open jobs pay at least $16 an hour and fewer than 900 provide benefits, so maybe, if nothing else, we'll see some wage reform? Ha, kidding.

[AJC; image via AP]