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AFBF and ADC have differing views on immigration reform

immigrant worker-dairyImmigration reform remains a top priority for two leading agriculture organizations.

President-Elect Donald Trump made a campaign promise to send illegals home, but the American Dairy Coalition and American Farm Bureau Federation are urging him not to do that.  Instead, they propose improving the work visa programs.

Those two organizations disagree on how to fix the existing H2A visa program.

American Dairy Coalition President Laurie Fischer tells Brownfield they would like to see H2A overhauled.  “Our hope would be to fix the H1B and H2A, and the rest of the visa programs out there so that they aren’t so cumbersome, and so they can be utilized.”

Fischer says the dairy groups also support language drafted by the Cato Institute allowing states to have their own worker visa programs.

American Farm Bureau Federation Director of Congressional Relations Christi Boswell tells Brownfield the H2A visa program is riddled with problems, and they would like to replace it.  “We’ve lost confidence that it can be completely be revamped in a way we need, so we advocate to Congress a new program that’s more market-based and flexible, something that works with the smallest of farms and the largest of farms ensuring access to a legal workforce.”

Boswell says 10% of farm workers in America are foreigners, and farmers desperately need them.

Fischer says none of the visa proposals would grant citizenship but would provide foreign workers the ability to work, pay taxes, and receive benefits like insurance. She says fixing the visa programs would also allow workers to get drivers licenses, and they would be required to carry vehicle liability insurance.

Both Boswell and Fischer have already made contact with the Trump transition team and several new Members of Congress.

 

 

 

 

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