The Labor Department is temporarily suspending the collection of H-2A certification fees.
The change comes as officials move to a new electronics system. During the suspension, employers will not be invoiced or billed retroactively for H-2A application fees.
The agency says an update on when fees will resume will be published in a future federal register notice.
The push for agriculutre labor reform is gaining urgency in 2025.
Idaho Dairymen’s Association says that the current H-2A program does not work for livestock and calls for a livible visa program.
According to Rick Naerebout, “We just need a livable Visa program. So, you know that’s going to our focus. And the other piece of our focus will be legalizing the exisitng workers, so work them into whatever that visa program looks like, Find a way to work them into it, and that involves, you know, a background check and a montetary penalty. We understand they’ve committed a misdemeanor being in a country without status, and that there should be some sort of background check with them being in the country. We’ve got no issue with that. We’ve got no issue with paying a monetary penalty.”
He said that clearing those hurdles would help the dairy industry keep feding the U.S. and the world.
He also noted that while D.C. may not fully get livestock needs, the Idaho legislation understands.
“It does feel like every time we start to get some momentum, when we start to get a piece of legislation to move, you’ve got other politics that come into play that disrupt it and derail the effort and we end up with nothing. But those are things that are completely out of our control.”
Naerebout said other delegations and states will need to step up if true ag labor reform is going to take place.
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.
January 27, 2026 11:51 AM
·
Rural population growth and stabilizing economic indicators point to post-pandemic recovery, but uneven income, shifting industries, and regional divides remain key challenges for rural communities.
January 23, 2026 08:00 AM
·
Moderate oil prices may ease fuel costs, but continued caution in the energy sector could limit rural economic growth.
January 22, 2026 06:00 PM
·
Strong balance sheets still matter, but liquidity, planning, and lender relationships are critical as ag credit tightens, according to analysis from AgAmerica Lending.
January 19, 2026 03:00 PM
·
Protein-driven dairy growth is boosting beef supply potential, creating an opening to support rural jobs and ground beef availability.
January 19, 2026 01:00 PM
·
RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey speaks with Texas’s Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Vicente Gonzalez about USMCA renegotiation and its impact on U.S.–Mexico agriculture trade.
January 17, 2026 05:00 PM
·
Rising rural business confidence supports local ag economies, but taxes and labor shortages remain key constraints.
January 17, 2026 02:00 PM
·
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.
January 14, 2026 11:19 AM
·
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.
January 13, 2026 03:25 PM
·
