New Labor Decision Removes Some Burden On Farmer, AFBF Says

A federal court recently decided that elements of the 2023 Adverse Effect Wage Rate Rule should be eliminated.  John Walt Boatright, Director of Government Affairs at the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the decision is a step in the right direction toward comprehensive labor reform.

"Well, a district court out of Louisiana has recently vacated the 2023 H-2A disaggregation rule, which segregated wage rates based on job functions within the H-2A seasonal agriculture program. This means that we are awaiting guidance from Department of Labor."

Big Impact On Small, Family Farms

Boatright says the DOL rule would have been very costly to farmers and ranchers, who utilize the H-2A program to fill gaps in the workforce.

"It was estimated that the cost of this rule on family farms was going to increase substantially, and our economist estimated that the small family farm was going to see two to three times the increases that a larger farm would feel. So, this is a big win for agriculture and definitely for the small family farm."

He adds there are still significant holes to fix when it comes to accessing farm labor, adding AFBF is still seeking fundamental reforms to the adverse effect wage rate, which will still be in effect.  He added they are still advocating for access for our year-round sectors who do not currently have access to this seasonal program.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com