Trump’s deportation efforts has California Farm Bureau concerned about workforce stability

The California Farm Bureau is weighing in on deportation efforts, which it says are causing unease among the ag workforce surrounding labor stability.

Despite those reports, the group admits it has not heard of any widespread disruption so far. The California Farm Bureau says that it stands with ag workers and farmers and will advocate for practical and compassionate solutions.

They have outlined three priorities for workforce reform moving forward:

  • Modernizing the H-2A program and making it more flexible to producers’ needs
  • Providing legal status to current ag workers
  • Crafting immigration policies that reflect the needs of a stable ag workforce
Related Stories
The changing political climate in America is leading to a drop in migrant crossings near the U.S.-Mexico border, where ranchers like Dr. Mike Vickers say they witnessed horrors from death to child trafficking.
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.
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.
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.
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.