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.
As the strike at a JBS facility in Colorado continues, the National Right to Work Foundation is encouraging some employees to consider returning to work. The group says not all workers on strike may want to participate and urges those who choose to cross the picket line to resign from their union memberships.
March 19, 2026 01:49 PM
·
At the Port of Brownsville, shrimpers are facing rising operating costs and increased competition, but many shrimp producers and local lawmakers remain optimistic about the industry’s future.
March 19, 2026 01:22 PM
·
Higher prices are bringing relief to markets, but rising input costs are putting pressure on the producers.
March 19, 2026 12:59 PM
·
Geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz disrupt fertilizer shipments, raising costs and creating uncertainty for U.S. farmers ahead of planting season.
March 18, 2026 03:21 PM
·
Producer input costs are rising faster than expected — and this latest PPI report does not reflect the last two weeks of geopolitical tension.
March 18, 2026 11:58 AM
·
President Trump issues a 60-day Jones Act waiver to ease fuel shipments amid Middle East tensions disrupting energy markets, while biofuel policy gains focus.
March 18, 2026 11:38 AM
·
