Changes are coming for the H-2A worker program. The administration is consolidating the platform under the Department of Labor, with hopes of bringing relief to farmers by making it faster and cheaper to hire workers.
John Walt Boatright with the American Farm Bureau spoke with RFD-TV’s Suzanne Alexander about its importance for farmers, the significance of the program, and commodity pricing.
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The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2026 agenda centers on labor stability, biosecurity, and economic resilience for family farms. Expanded DMC coverage improves risk protection for dairy operations facing tighter margins.
Secretary Rollins also met with specialty crop producers at a local strawberry farm to discuss workforce needs and the Trump Administration’s recent wins related to significantly cutting the cost of H-2A labor for California farmers.
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.
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.
AFBF Associate Economist Samantha Ayoub joins us to dive into H-2A visa program changes and what can be done to ease the pressure on producers.
In a final rule published in the Federal Register, the Department states that it will no longer base wage rates on the Farm Labor Survey.
Secretary Rollins’ plan targets high costs, labor challenges, and export growth, delivering relief at home while building markets abroad.