Farm worker advocates are sounding the alarm on overtime pay. One legal expert warns that this push could add more strain to an industry already facing major challenges.
“My thing with the overtime is it hurts the employee,” explained Shawn Packer, principal at JPH Law. “It hurts the employer, too, but it hurts the employee because you’re limiting the hours that they’re working, so that you’re not paying the overtime, so they’re actually making less money.”
Packer added that while there is a lot of advocacy surrounding the prevailing wage lawsuit, it ultimately takes money out of the pockets of farm workers.
When it comes to regulations, such as the heat rule, Packer said that it only adds to the problem.
“One of the things, especially when we started looking at the heat rule and everything else, that’s amazing to me is you’ve got these advocacy organizations that are pushing so hard to keep piece rate, but then we have these regulations that tell us to stop working. And the workers, that’s all they want to do is they want to make that piece rate.”
Bottom line: Packer says that despite all the efforts advocates make, the workers are still making less money.
Danny Munch of the American Farm Bureau joined us to discuss USDA’s latest farm income forecast, revisions to prior estimates, and what the updated data means for farmers heading into 2026.
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Jones Hamilton Company shares insights on herd health, efficiency, and innovation for cattle producers this year at NCBA CattleCon in Nashville.
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The House Agriculture Committee is set to debate a new, “skinny” Farm Bill at the end of February, according to a release from Committee Chairman Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson.
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Regulatory uncertainty could slow the growth of fiber and grain hemp unless implementation is delayed.
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University of Nebraska-Lincoln President Dr. Jeffrey Gold talks about heart health and preventive care for viewers in rural communities.
February 04, 2026 02:05 PM
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Jeramy Stephens of National Land Realty breaks down current trends in the farmland real estate market and how landowners should consider water availability and its impact on land values as they plan for the year ahead.
February 04, 2026 01:57 PM
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