ag labor

Farms hiring seasonal workers through the H-2A program are looking at higher labor costs in 2025. The federal government sets those wage floors each year, and this is the first full year under a new Department of Labor formula.

Central Washington Rep. Dan Newhouse, a farmer himself, says the current farm economy is among the worst he can remember — and most farmers polled this year feel elected officials don't understand why.

More than three dozen dairy farmers walked the halls of Capitol Hill this week, pushing lawmakers to fix a visa program that leaves dairy operations short-staffed because it was built for seasonal work, not year-round farms.

Farmers are struggling given current economic conditions; a recent USDA report pulling 2024 data ranks Washington state 50th in farm profitability. A primary driver of that last-place ranking is the high cost of labor.

Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall says agricultural labor reform is the number one concern for farmers right now, and a new bill from House Agriculture could be the first real progress in decades.

Farmers from across the country are heading to Capitol Hill this season, making the case for an H-2A visa overhaul before Congress runs out of time to act.

What does the future of farm labor look like? And what kind of impact will that have on the bottom line for growers across the Northwest? President of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association, Jon DeVaney, offers his perspective.

Zippy Duvall's own family walked away from dairy farming partly because finding reliable help became impossible — now he's backing a federal bill aimed at fixing that problem for farmers across the country.

The H2A visa program has long helped fruit and vegetable farms bring in seasonal workers, but dairy farmers and fish hatcheries have been left out — a new bill wants to change that.

Washington state is seeing a 67% rise in H2A guest worker certifications, reflecting a larger nationwide struggle to fill seasonal agricultural positions.