Planting season is just getting underway in parts of the United States, and that means farm labor will soon be in high demand.
Nationwide, more than 3,000 H-2A positions were certified in the 2024 fiscal year, which is about 6,000 more than the year before.
The Farm Monitor looks at the future of immigration policies, and how the H-2A program helps keep the ag workforce compliant.
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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.
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.
Todd Miller, CEO of Head Honchos, shares about his business offering to ease agricultural labor shortages.
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.
Farmers should anticipate continued upward pressure on farm labor costs and monitor policy changes that may further impact hiring decisions.
