“It’s Not Rocket Science": Lawmakers want to address the Farm Workforce Modernization Act

Expanding market access is top of mind, but concerns still linger around farm labor. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act was reintroduced earlier this month, and Washington State Congressman Dan Newhouse says the bill boils down to common sense.

“It’s not rocket science what we’re trying to do. Basically, we want people to be able to come into our country legally, work on farms, in this case, in this legislation, where we need them. And when the work is done, and they want to go back home, they can do that legally as well, without fear of not being able to come back.”

Newhouse says other countries have successfully addressed their ag labor challenges, urging his colleagues to get to work.

Related Stories
RFD NEWS correspondent Frank McCaffrey recently spoke with Dr. Mike Vickers, a South Texas rancher, who says illegal border crossings have dramatically declined in the last year.
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2026 agenda centers on labor stability, biosecurity, and economic resilience for family farms. Expanded DMC coverage improves risk protection for dairy operations facing tighter margins.
Secretary Rollins also met with specialty crop producers at a local strawberry farm to discuss workforce needs and the Trump Administration’s recent wins related to significantly cutting the cost of H-2A labor for California farmers.
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.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

At CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, RealAg Radio’s Shaun Haney discusses profitability, consumer demand, and how the integrated U.S.–Canada beef supply chain impacts cattle producers across North America.
The USDA’s February WASDE report looms as the CME Ag Economy Barometer shows declining farmer confidence, and more ag industry groups calling for swift policy action.
San Angelo Stock Show & Rodeo Association’s Trenton Priddy preview this year’s event, which is now streaming on RFD+
Dr. Peter Beetham, interim CEO of Cibus, joined us to discuss the status of EU gene-editing deregulation and its potential implications for agriculture.
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.
HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy calls on cattle producers to retain breeding cows while Ivomec receives emergency authorization to prevent New World screwworm.