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Direction of immigration reform is a Farm Bureau concern

Donald Trump has promised that immigration reform will be one of his top priorities as President.  But there are concerns about how his policies will impact immigrant workers in agriculture.

Kristi Boswell, a director of Congressional relations with American Farm Bureau, says they’re working to ensure farmers have access to a legal and stable workforce.

“Farm Bureau supports border security and that is clearly going to be one proposal that comes on the enforcement angle,” Boswell says. “But we need to see a new, flexible guest worker program that works not only for seasonal workers, but year-around workers. Ideally, that’s administered by USDA rather than the Department of Labor and is just more market-based and streamlined.”

But Boswell says they also want to make sure that current workers, many of whom are in unauthorized status, can remain working in the U.S.

“Having that short-term stability is critical for overall success, and allowing farmers to go to bed at night and know that their crops are going to be harvested in the morning.”

Brownfield spoke with Boswell at the annual meeting of Nebraska Farm Bureau in Kearney.

AUDIO: Kristi Boswell