GREENSBORO -- Sen. Elizabeth Dole spoke to a number of farmers about the stalled Farm Bill during the 72nd annual meeting of the North Carolina's Farm Bureau on Monday.

"My number one priority is ensuring that this legislation is good for North Carolina," said Dole. "Unfortunately the bill that has come to the Senate floor has numerous problems for our farmers."

Dole says those problems include unneeded regulation of livestock and poultry industries and lowering the annual income allowed for farmers to receive subsidies.

"Production costs for growers are high," said Dole, "and this proposed payment limit cuts too deep."

For most of the farmers who spoke to News 14 Carolina, immigration and the impact on seasonal workers is the biggest issue.

"If we don't have a viable workforce we can't harvest our crops," said Catawba County farmer Ira Cline.

"Our agriculture sector needs a reliable immigrant worker program, and you need it now," said Dole.

State Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler also spoke about the problems caused by this year's drought.

"We've got a finite resource in North Carolina -- that's water. We all have to be mindful; when there's no more, there's no more," he said.

Troxler also cautioned about the state's rapid development, stressing the need to maintain farm land if North Carolina is going to continue to feed itself.

The Farm Bureau is the state's largest farm organization with nearly a 500,000 members.