Sandison: Finding Ag Workers Still Challenging

It’s a reoccurring theme across the Northwest, a shortage of available workers for the agriculture industry.  At Tuesday’s Central Washington University’s 2017 Economic Outlook Conference, WSDA Director Derek Sandison said the worker shortage is an issue that must be addressed.  Sandison says the shortages continue despite what he termed relatively high wages paid for farm work.

“We cann

ot find the domestic workers to fill the need, so they are turning to the federal H-2-A program to bring in workers from elsewhere, that’s a growing program by the way, but even with that we’re seeing persistent shortages.”

The federal H-2-A program allows for importing foreign workers.  Sandison said state ag producers hope the federal government will provide relief through immigration reform and the development of programs that could ease entry of migrant workers into the U.S.

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