Ag labor challenges are at the forefront of the industry’s minds. The National Farmers Union (NFU) says the industry can no longer afford to ignore them.
“Farmers right now, right, we’re paying really strong wages out there as it is,” says NFU President Rob Larew. “If this workforce gets even tighter and tighter, you know, it’s going to drive some folks out of production.”
Larew says that many attempts have been made to address the issue in Washington, but they always fall short, and it has been frustrating to watch.
“We’ve had bipartisan bills make it a part of the way through Congress with the support of farmworker’s groups, and so it’s been extraordinarily frustrating that there’s a lot of consensus on what should be done to kind of reform H-2A in particular, but we just can’t seem to get it done,” he explains.
Larew says that finding adequate labor might be agriculture’s most significant problem today. He remains hopeful that H-2A reform is possible.
Hurd joined this week’s Champions of Rural America to review the proposed Farm Bill moving through the House and discuss its potential impact on rural communities and farmers across the country.
March 06, 2026 01:04 PM
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Global food prices rose slightly in the latest FAO Food Price Index as vegetable oils, cereals, and meat increased, offsetting declines in dairy and sugar.
March 06, 2026 12:21 PM
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Mexican livestock officials are emphasizing surveillance and inspection systems to preserve access to the U.S. cattle export market. Texas’ Bovina Feeders explains the rising stakes as the border stays closed.
March 06, 2026 11:32 AM
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Nutrition policy shifts may influence retail demand across agriculture.
March 05, 2026 02:59 PM
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Corn demand is rising thanks to ethanol expansion, yet year-round E15 remains missing from the Farm Bill—leaving farmers questioning the policy gap.
March 05, 2026 12:09 PM
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Bipartisan momentum builds, but final farm policy remains unsettled.
March 05, 2026 10:14 AM
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