Changes are coming to the H-2A labor program, and the Trump Administration hopes it will bring relief to American farmers.
In an interview with Fox Business, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer says the labor program will now be fully under her department. It’s currently under the jurisdiction of the Departments of Labor, Homeland Security, and the State Department.
Chavez-DeRemer says consolidation will make the program faster and more affordable for farmers and ranchers. She notes most of the H-2A program’s heavy lifting is determined by Congress. There are also no plans to expand the program, and she says she will not give amnesty to undocumented laborers. Instead, she’ll make it more efficient.
Another focus will be on getting more Americans working on U.S. farms. Chavez-DeRemer tells Fox that they’ll never replace an American worker, but they want to ensure farmers have the staffing they need. She says it’s now up to Congress to determine just how many visas will be allowed in the program.
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.
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