Ag labor is another challenge for farmers and ranchers this year, but it is not a new issue.
One ag lawmaker from the Pacific Northwest is calling for “common-sense” reforms to the H-2A program and believes President Trump will deliver.
“The agricultural industry supported President Trump very strongly. He understands the issues of food security and that having a national, American food supply system is of utmost importance. Many of the things that he promised during his campaign line up exactly with the things that we are trying to accomplish as it relates to the workforce in the United States,” said Rep. Dan Newhouse.
For the second year in a row, H-2A visas grew by less than 2 percent across the country during 2024. Sixteen states saw a drop in H-2A workers, including Florida, California, and Michigan. The American Farm Bureau says costs and regulatory burdens are to blame.
The changing political climate in America is leading to a drop in migrant crossings near the U.S.-Mexico border, where ranchers like Dr. Mike Vickers say they witnessed horrors from death to child trafficking.
January 30, 2026 11:47 AM
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RFD NEWS correspondent Frank McCaffrey recently spoke with Dr. Mike Vickers, a South Texas rancher, who says illegal border crossings have dramatically declined in the last year.
January 27, 2026 11:51 AM
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Rural population growth and stabilizing economic indicators point to post-pandemic recovery, but uneven income, shifting industries, and regional divides remain key challenges for rural communities.
January 23, 2026 08:00 AM
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RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey speaks with Texas’s Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez about USMCA renegotiation and its impact on U.S.–Mexico agriculture trade.
January 17, 2026 05:00 PM
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The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) estimates that the move will save farmers and ranchers $2.5 billion each year. The group warns that new methods for calculating the adverse-effect wage rate would result in lower pay for foreign workers.
November 24, 2025 11:32 AM
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Farmers who rely on H-2A workers will see a few key changes to speed up the process and make it fairer. On the ground, producers say labor issues create shortfalls in otherwise productive harvests.
October 27, 2025 01:36 PM
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