Labor is at the top of the ag industry’s legislative goals for the new year. The Washington Farm Bureau says labor is the number one input cost for their farmers and ranchers with the state’s costs currently 400 percent higher than the national average.
“This is critical. It is impacting farmers and ranchers across the state, and it’s something that needs to be addressed, and to do that, we will continue to work on some type of overtime mitigation, some kind of solution to that critical issue for farmers. And then, you will also see a new attempt for farmworker unionization, and we have to delve a little deeper into what the impacts on agriculture would be,” said Bre Elsey, Director of Government Affairs at the Washington Farm Bureau.
Fruit and vegetable farmers are especially hit. The specialty crop growers spend nearly 38 percent of their expenses on labor.
What is it like working cattle with an outbreak of New World Screwworm so close to home? Wayne Cockrell, with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, joined us on Wednesday to discuss.
September 24, 2025 12:29 PM
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U.S. produce growers face a structural disadvantage—cheaper imports driving down prices while rising labor costs squeeze margins. Without new policies or technology, profitability remains uncertain.
September 23, 2025 04:09 PM
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According to the National Council of Farmers Cooperatives (NCFC), President and CEO Chuck Conner says, there is only one other option besides addressing ag labor shortages.
September 18, 2025 01:10 PM
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Labor is an ongoing crisis in the ag sector. One industry group outlines three vital reforms to the H-2A visa program that farmers need to secure an affordable, stable workforce.
September 09, 2025 12:22 PM
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Lewie Pugh, with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report with his insights on the incident and a deeper dive into the issues at hand.
September 08, 2025 12:00 PM
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August 07, 2025 10:46 AM
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