President Donald Trump acknowledged that deportations carried out under his immigration crackdown are leaving U.S. farms short of labor, saying undocumented migrant workers “can’t be replaced easily” because “people living in the cities don’t do that work.” The remarks came during a 5 Aug. telephone interview with CNBC in which Trump praised farmers as “a very important part of this country.” Trump said the administration is drafting new “rules and regulations” to help growers keep their operations staffed. He signaled openness to allowing some deported laborers to “return legally” and confirmed officials are exploring other measures, including mobilizing able-bodied Medicaid recipients for farm jobs, although details and a timeline have not been announced. The comments follow a July employment report that showed U.S. payrolls rose by just 73,000 and a 1.7 million decline in foreign-born employment between March and July, figures economists partly attribute to stepped-up immigration enforcement. Farm groups have warned that continued labor shortages could disrupt food production and raise costs unless alternatives are found.