AFBF: Ag Labor Must Be Part of Reform Conversation

Agriculture is in the midst of a labor crisis that’s only getting worse.  Ag groups have been pushing Congress to fix the immigration system for the last two decades.  Paul Schlegel, AFBF managing director of public policy and economics, says it’s past time for Congress to get the immigration system overhauled.  He said one of the first things to decide is how to grant legal status to the workforce that’s already in the country.

"Stabilization of our workforce is a principal element that has to be addressed, and for the future we need to have a guest worker program that embraces all of agriculture that's affordable, that's not bureaucratic that gets employees workers when they need them."

With growing concerns about immigration and its connection to the House farm bill’s passage, Schlegel says the House will take action soon.  He said Farm Bureau’s main concern is that ag labor be included in an immigration reform package.

"We expect something will happen in the month of June, maybe the 3rd week of June, but we don't yet know what a package is going to look like and we are trying feverishly to make sure if there is some new vehicle that is going to get voted on and passed that it addresses at least some aspects of agricultural labor."

The House of Representatives is due to consider an immigration bill sponsored by Republican Bob Goodlatte of Virginia.​