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House bill to move H-2A program to USDA

Legislation has been introduced to move the H-2A visa program from the Department of Labor to USDA.

New York Representatives Elise Stefanik and Chris Collins’ Family Farm Relief Act of 2017 simplifies the petitioning process for farmers to apply for H-2A workers and expands the scope of the program.

The measure would increase the time foreign workers are eligible to work on farms from temporary or seasonal to year round up to three years for livestock workers, meaning dairy farms and other livestock operations would be able to participate in the program.

The bill also allows applicants to fill out electronic paperwork in addition to a paper option, and requires the agency to report if delays occur in the application process to Congress.