NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — University of Georgia agricultural economist Cesar L. Escalante says rising Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) are driving affordability concerns in the H-2A guest farmworker program.
AEWRs are set annually using the USDA’s Farm Labor Survey and are meant to ensure foreign workers earn fair pay without depressing domestic wages. The 2025 national AEWR is $17.74 per hour, nearly 18 percent higher than 2022 levels and above the long-term average growth rate of 3.5 percent.
Beyond hourly wages, H-2A employers must cover housing, transportation, meals, and insurance, which Escalante notes adds about a 5 percent premium to labor costs. Critics argue the AEWR system often produces abrupt wage spikes and does not fully reflect local labor conditions. Even so, Escalante’s analysis suggests H-2A labor remains cost-competitive compared with domestic hiring, especially when fringe benefit offsets are included.
Separately, although distinct from the H-2A program, the Trump administration is proposing a $100,000 fee per H-1B visa. Escalante warns that rising costs and new visa fees highlight how changes in immigration policy could reshape the labor supply for American farms.
AFBF Associate Economist Samantha Ayoub joins us to dive into H-2A visa program changes and what can be done to ease the pressure on producers.
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