H-2A
The dairy industry is urging Congress to advance legislation to make the H-2A program more workable for year-round dairy operations.
Industry leaders and lawmakers are looking at legal pathways to address the need for farm workers.
Labor officials are also pushing agricultural education as the industry works to attract younger workers.
Kansas, North Dakota, and Nebraska are states where H-2A wage rates are increasing by roughly 20 percent in some cases.
For agricultural producers, finding workers is only part of the challenge. The cost of hiring has also become a growing concern.
The National Federation of Independent Business says 27 percent of owners named labor quality or availability their biggest problem, up eight points from June.
Washburn University law professor Roger McEowen says the H-2A visa program follows a different federal payroll framework than domestic agricultural labor.
As labor shortages continue to reshape production agriculture, H-2A employment will likely remain an essential part of many farming operations. But the program’s payroll tax rules differ significantly from those applicable to domestic agricultural employees.
The proposed OSHA rule would require additional heat protections for workers during extreme temperatures.