Immigration has been a big focus of the second Trump Administration. Farm leaders want to remind the White House that guest workers are critical to the ag industry.
“When you start thinking about sweet potatoes, very labor-intensive vegetable crop, blueberries, very labor-intensive fruit crop, even the Christmas trees is a very labor-intensive crop. And so, all of these things that we’re doing, we have to have a lot of labor,” said Shawn Harding.
Harding is a supporter of the H-2A program, saying it is essential to meet labor demands. He also admits it has drawbacks, but warns farm workers have to be protected during talks of mass deportations.
“If we’re going to have food in the grocery stores and the restaurants, on our tables, somebody has to do this work. We’re big proponents of the H-2A program from that standpoint because that money goes back and supports people in these other countries and does good work for them as well.”
Numbers from the Farm Bureau show H-2A positions increased around two percent last year, which is around 6,000 more guest workers compared to 2023.
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler breaks down the Grocery Guarantee Program, its goals for expanding farmer access to capital, and its potential impact on food production and prices.
March 31, 2026 11:36 AM
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At the White House’s “Celebration of Agriculture,” the Trump Administration announced a slate of policies to support farmers and ranchers, including biofuel mandates, SBA loan programs, and new labeling policies to boost domestic markets for ag products.
March 30, 2026 01:01 PM
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This week on Champions of Rural America, Congressman Nick Begich discusses the lease sale, its economic impact, and what it could mean for future energy production in Alaska.
March 27, 2026 04:32 PM
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RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney discusses Canada’s new soil health strategy, its implications for producers, and its potential to support sustainable agriculture in Canada compared to USDA funding for conservation.
March 27, 2026 03:15 PM
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National Association of Wheat Growers President Jamie Kress discusses how rising fertilizer prices pressure wheat producers and the Administration’s consideration of lowering duties on Moroccan phosphate.
March 27, 2026 02:32 PM
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EPA estimates the rule could generate more than $10 billion for rural economies and support over 100,000 jobs across agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
March 27, 2026 01:06 PM
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