AFBF Looking To See How Changes To H2-A Would Impact Farmers

Last week, the Labor Department officially proposed to streamline the H2-A program.  The American Farm Bureau Federation is evaluating the nearly 500-page proposal and will provide input on behalf of farmers.  Allison Crittenden, AFBF congressional relations director, said farmers and ranchers need a better guest worker program.

“A lot of farmers are forced to use the H-2A program to obtain the labor they need to get the job done on the farm. But the real problem is that the H-2A program is incredibly complex to use and it’s also very expensive. So a solution is needed to help streamline the program and make it a little more user-friendly.”

She said the proposed rule will modernize the program to fit the needs of farmers and ranchers in 2019, including allowing farmers flexibility around worker arrival to adjust with the needs of seasonality and perishable crops and weather patterns.  The proposal, she notes, would also look at a AEWR methodology change that will disaggregate the AEWR by occupation and will ensure that folks are getting paid a wage that corresponds to the type of work that they’re doing.”

Crittenden called the proposal a positive step forward.

“It appears that the administration has taken the concerns of stakeholders in the ag industry to heart and has produced a proposed rule that they hope will address a lot of the issues that farmers and ranchers are facing in getting their labor. Next steps are to have folks engaged in the comment process as the Department of Labor and the rest of the administration works to put together a final rule.”

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