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AGRI Act seeks H-2A reform
A bill has been introduced in the U.S. House which calls for reforms to the H-2A guest worker program.
Introduced by Congressman Rick Crawford of Arkansas, the Agricultural Guest Worker Reform Initiative or AGRI Act gives jurisdiction for ag workers from the Department of Labor to the Department of Agriculture.
Crawford says the current program has many flaws which makes it difficult for farmers to comply, the reforms streamline the program and provides them greater access to ag workers.
It also eliminates the Adverse Affect Wage Rate and lets employers offer market-based wages.
If passed, the act would require H-2A workers to return to their country of origin for one month after every 10 in the U.S.
There needs to be a group lobbying for the meat packing industry to be able to use the H-2C workers in the meat processing industry year around. The meat packing industry is part of the farming and agricultural community and needs to be included in the H-2C program. If the packing community, is short of employees to process the farmers meat, the farmers will not get full compensation for the farm products they have raised with their H-2C employees. These foreign workers are great for the United State, farmers and the meat packing industry.