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AFBF says H-2A program is a mixed bag while labor shortages grow

The American Farm Bureau Federation says more producers are turning to a seasonal foreign worker program to help alleviate a tight labor market.

“We are really at a crisis level with our ag workforce shortage.”

Director of Government Affairs Allison Crittenden says there’s been an increase in applications for H-2A visa program even though it’s not always farmer friendly. “Any of our dairy farmers, livestock, year-round greenhouse operations and mushrooms, they don’t have access to the program. Another big issue we hear about that do use the program is the requirement to pay the adverse effect wage rate.”

She tells Brownfield USDA and the Department of Labor use a variety of metrics to set the rate and it’s jumped 20 percent in the last five years. “At the same time, the cash receipts for many of the crops that our H-2A workers help to plant and harvest have declined significantly in that same time period. There’s a big concern that the adverse effect wage rate is really hampering farmers’ ability to say in business and remain competitive.”

Crittenden says AFBF supports immigration reform that would allow more workers into the program, but wage restructuring needs to be a priority.

Allison Crittenden, director of government affairs: