ag workers

A year after the legislature mandated overtime pay for farm workers, an effort is underway in Salem to make changes to the law.  State Representative Shelly Boshart Davis said since taking effect in June, the rules have created hardships for family farms and resulted in lower pay for ag workers.  She’s lookin...

Farm labor reform remains a priority for the American Farm Bureau Federation.  The Senate last year failed to advance the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, legislation put forward by central Washington’s Dan Newhouse and others.  It was a bill...

In a last-minute effort to get H-2A reform finished before Congress adjourns, lawmakers have introduced a new bill.  Colorado senator Michael Bennet, and central Washington representative Dan Newhouse, introduced the Affordable and Secure Food Act Thursday.  Th...

Labor demands continue to tax the bottom lines of farmers and ranchers, with rising wage rates and record usage of the H-2A visa program.  The American Farm Bureau Federation said meaningful reforms to the federal government's guest worker program must be a priority for Congress by the end of the year.  AFBF an...

Only a few weeks remain for the 117th Congress, and the farming community is hopeful the lame duck session will address a few ag needs during that time.  One of the top issues across commodities in ag labor.  Bryan Searle, President of the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation said it’s still very hard to find workers.   “Nobody really w...

More hired workers on U.S. farms and ranches than a year ago working for higher wages than a year ago. That’s the finding of the USDA’s recent Farm Labor Report. The Department of Ag said during the week of October 9th- 15th there were 785,000 farm and ranch workers who had been hired directly by farm operators. That is 2%...

Last week, WAFLA announced it is working with Stanford University to research the economic and social outcomes for farmworkers who migrate from Mexico.  In this pilot project, Stanford researchers will speak with and compare the experiences of farmworkers who remain in Mexico and those who participate in the H-2A program via WAFLA.  Scott D...

According to ERS, American farmers who want to hire temporary foreign workers through the H-2A visa program usually work with a third party.  The new data announced this week indicated the third parties, such as agents, associations or a lawyer, are used to make the applications.  Employe...

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 ...

Between drought and input costs, the beef industry nationwide is facing a variety of challenges.  The University of Idaho’s Phil Bass noted following the slowdowns from the pandemic, larger packing facilities are running at or near capacity which is good news moving product out to customers.  But when it c...