WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — The dairy industry is urging lawmakers to advance legislation aimed at addressing long-standing agricultural labor challenges and making the H-2A visa program more workable for year-round operations.
Alan Bjerga with the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) joined us on Thursday’s Market Day Report to discuss how the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act, introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “G.T.” Thompson, R-Pa., could provide important changes for dairy producers while also streamlining portions of the agricultural guest worker program.
In his interview with RFD News, Bjerga explained that unlike many seasonal agricultural operations, dairy farms need workers year-round. Bjerga says the current H-2A program does not always fit the dairy industry’s needs because of how the visa system is structured.
“This is really big legislation for the dairy sector,” Bjerga said, noting that dairy has historically struggled to make the existing H-2A system work for a year-round industry.
Bipartisan Support for Agricultural Labor Changes
The legislation has bipartisan backing, along with support from a broad coalition of agricultural organizations.
Bjerga says the industry is working to maintain momentum behind the bill as lawmakers approach the fall and an election year.
If the legislation does not advance this year, he says supporters want to ensure it remains positioned for consideration during a lame-duck session or in the next Congress.
A Pathway for Current Dairy Workers
One key provision would create a pathway for certain current unauthorized dairy employees to transition into the legal H-2A workforce if they choose to remain employed in agriculture for the required period.
Bjerga emphasized that the proposal would not provide permanent residency.
Instead, he says it would provide a transition into a legal agricultural worker program designed to better meet the needs of dairy farms.
The goal is also to prevent major disruptions to the dairy workforce during the transition.
“People don’t want prices for milk to be going up,” Bjerga said. “They don’t want chaos at the grocery stores. They don’t want shortages of products.”
Making the Program More Efficient
Supporters say the legislation could also make agricultural labor more affordable by streamlining portions of the H-2A process.
Bjerga says dairy producers need to remain competitive with other industries recruiting agricultural workers, while employees need wages and working conditions that allow them to support themselves.
More than 450 agricultural organizations and groups signed onto a letter supporting the legislation earlier this month, according to Bjerga.
Uncertainty Remains for Dairy Producers
Without changes, Bjerga says dairy farmers will continue to face uncertainty surrounding their workforce and the legal status of employees.
He argues that creating a more functional legal labor system would provide greater certainty for producers and workers while helping fill jobs that are difficult to staff through the domestic labor market.
Bjerga says the industry sees the proposed changes as a potential win-win for farmers, workers and the broader U.S. economy, but supporters will need to continue building momentum if Congress does not act this fall.
