News

H-2A reforms introduced

A bill has been introduced in Congress to reform the H-2A seasonal farm worker program and expand it to year-round.

Lawmakers say a lack of skilled farm labor is one of the reasons driving food prices higher and the Affordable and Secure Food Act will support growers while making the nation’s food supply more secure.

Michael Marsh with the National Council of Agriculture Employers tells Brownfield the legislation slows wage increases and provides a legal path to citizenship for farm workers.  But, he says it will likely struggle to find enough Republicans in the Senate to support it.

“There’s such a short window, I think it’s going to be very difficult for this to make it into law in this Congress,” he says.

Marsh says his organization is opposed to the bill codifying USDA’s Farm Labor Survey to establish wages and its impact on farm labor contractors.

The legislation was introduced by Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D), U.S. Representatives Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.), and David Valadao (R-Calif.).

The bill is supported by the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, International Fresh Produce Association, American Hort, Land O’Lakes, Inc., American Business Immigration Coalition-Action, Western Growers, National Potato Council, U.S. Apple Association, American Mushroom Institute, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, National Farmers Union, and United Farm Workers.