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.
American Farmland Trust shares guidance, research, and policy solutions to help farmers navigate the growing threat of PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” contaminating U.S. farmland.
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Richard Gupton of the Agricultural Retailers Association discusses the EPA’s new decision on over-the-top Dicamba and what it means for growers this year.
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Mike Spier, president and CEO of U.S. Wheat Associates, discusses the new U.S.-Bangladesh trade agreement and its potential benefits for U.S. wheat growers.
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Ag industry leaders and lawmakers are urging continued support for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), citing strong export growth, supply chain integration, and economic benefits for U.S. farmers ahead of the pact’s July review.
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The agreement formalizes coordination between the two departments to address security concerns affecting U.S. agriculture.
February 11, 2026 11:05 AM
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Federal assistance has helped, but the most recent row-crop losses remain on producers’ balance sheets.
February 09, 2026 01:07 PM
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