WASHINGTON, DC (RFD NEWS) — House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson has introduced legislation aimed at making the H-2A farmworker program more usable for year-round agriculture.
The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act would change program eligibility from work that is temporary or seasonal to work that is temporary, with contracts lasting less than 350 days.
That could open clearer access for dairy, livestock, aquaculture, forestry, controlled environment agriculture, equine operations, and some meat and poultry processing. Supporters say current rules no longer fit farms that need labor beyond narrow harvest seasons.
The bill also addresses costs and paperwork. It would create multi-year labor and housing certifications, limit annual adverse effect wage rate changes, allow worker transfers between certified employers, and require a single online H-2A platform.
The proposal includes heat illness prevention plans and a limited waiver process for certain current agricultural workers seeking H-2A status. It does not include a pathway to citizenship.
