Agriculture Groups Focus on Importance of Immigration Reform in Letter to President

The Agriculture Workforce Coalition last week emphasized the importance of immigration reform for America’s farmers and ranchers in a letter sent to President Donald Trump. Seventy groups representing a variety of crops grown in every region in the country joined in sending the letter that calls for reforms to ensure that American agriculture has a legal, stable supply of workers in both the long and short-term for all types of producers.

The groups say farmers are facing growing shortages of legally authorized and experienced workers each year.  The letter says the labor shortage “negatively impacts economic competitiveness, local economies and jobs.”  The groups say they support strengthening the border and says the U.S. must relieve pressure on the border by providing a lawful path for foreign workers to enter the U.S. on a nonimmigrant basis.

The groups point out the only current guest worker program available, the H-2A visa program, is cumbersome and dysfunctional and only allows for temporary or seasonal workers. Therefore, it cannot be used by farmers.

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