AEWR

The apple orchards are facing a tough season ahead, with oversupply and costs climbing faster than the trees can grow.

With a significant decision just in, the ongoing debate over farmworker wages takes center stage.

As federal wage regulations shift, local growers are on high alert. The implications for our community’s agriculture are worth exploring.

Farmer and rancher delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 107th annual convention adopted several policies to guide the organization’s work in the new year.

Perhaps Congress is recognizing the many challenges farm country is facing today.

Last week, the Department of Labor published an Interim Final Rule, better known as an IFR, revising the methodology for determining the H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rate.

Specialty crop growers scored, what many have called "a significant win" last week when the USDA announced its intention to discontinue the Farm Labor Survey.

American agriculture is still facing an uphill battle in finding enough labor for their farms.  Mike McCarthy, a specialty crop grower from Hood River, OR, recently shared his experiences with members of Congress.   “We're in a fruit-growing area, and we grow apples, pears, and cherries, along with a lot of other farmers in that area," McCarthy said.  "It's what you'd c...

At this week’s convention, the American Farm Bureau adopted policies to guide the organization’s work in 2025.   “Policy priorities include everything from passing a new farm bill, enacting regulatory reform, and creating new markets for the men and women dedicated to keeping America’s pantries stocked,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall.     Recognizing the challen...

Farm employers face a variety of challenges right now, but one of the biggest is finding adequate labor and the cost of paying it.  And when it comes to H-2A reform, Kate Tynan, Senior Vice President at the Northwest Horticultural Council, said the biggest hurdle to overcome right now is costs as well as regulatory burdens.  But she...