Time may be running short, but Dan Newhouse remains optimistic that the Senate will address ag labor needs via his Farm Workforce Modernization Act.  The legislation which already cleared the House, has stalled in the Senate.  And while the window for the 117th Congress is starting to close, the Chair of the Western Caucus believes lawmakers can act in the coming months. 

 

“We have the time to do it, I think the sense of urgency is what we need to make sure exists," Newhouse said.  "We need to express to those people in the Senate that we’ve got to get this done, and it’s so important for our industry.  And I’m optimistic that can happen.”

 

And Newhouse noted the legislation does have quite a bit of Northwest support.

 

“The largest supporters of the bill and the ones taking leadership of moving the bill through the Senate are actually from the state of Idaho," Newhouse added.  "Senators Crapo and Risch, both of them have been champions of this issue and working very closely with us in the House.  You know, the state of Idaho and the state of Washington we have lot of similarities as far as our agricultural industries and so they understand full well the nature of the labor-intensive agriculture that we have in the Northwest.” 

 

Between now and the end of the year, Newhouse is asking everyone, those in all three Northwest states, to contact their senators asking that they support the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. 

 

Click Here to learn more about the FWMA.

 

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

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