By Zhengfei Guan and Kuan-Ming Huang In a packed conference room at an industry event, a Florida grower sitting in a discussion panel was asked: “You wake up at 2:00 in the morning. What worries you the most?” “Labor,” answered the grower without a second of doubt. Labor has been an issue that bothers not only Florida farmers but those …
Farm Groups Express Concern Over New Methodology for Determining AEWR
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published its final rule this week publish to amend how the Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWR) for the H-2A program are set to improve the rates’ consistency and accuracy based on the work actually performed by the workers and to better prevent H-2A workers’ employment negatively affecting the wages of U.S. workers in similar …
Senate Labor Act Left Out of Omnibus Deal
By Frank Giles On Dec. 22, the U.S. Senate passed the omnibus appropriations bill. The $1.7 trillion measure would fund the federal government through the remainder of 2023. The measure now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote to avoid a government shutdown on the evening of Dec. 23. Much to the dismay of farm groups nationwide, …
US Department of Labor: Final Rule Improves H-2A
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule to amend H-2A temporary labor certification regulations that improves worker safety and updates the H-2A application and temporary labor certification process. The final rule was published in the Federal Register on Oct. 12, 2022. After the department proposed changes to the H-2A program’s regulations in a Notice of Proposed …
ERS Report: H-2A Certified Jobs Numbered 275,000 in 2020
Fears of H-2A labor shortages during the onset of COVID-19 were unfounded with no widespread reports of shortages. This is according to a recent study administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS). There were, however, reports of lower earnings for farm workers due to fewer hours being offered as a result of reduced demand for …
Registration Ongoing for Upcoming Georgia Ag Labor Relations Forum
By Clint Thompson Registration is ongoing for the upcoming Georgia Ag Labor Relations Forum, scheduled for Nov. 9-10 at ABAC’s Georgia Museum of Agriculture in Tifton, Georgia. The event is tailored towards agricultural employers, human resource managers and administrators. It will provide discussions with leading experts on how to navigate the challenge of finding and maintaining a consistent workforce, says …
Farm Workforce Modernization Act a ‘Long Shot’
By Clint Thompson The Farm Workforce Modernization Act is in its final stage of being edited and potentially passed in the Senate. Whether it is approved by the end of this year remains a “long shot,” says Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C. He spoke about the …
‘Plenty’ of H-2A Workers Still Coming from Mexico
By Clint Thompson The only source for labor that Southeast specialty crop producers have to choose from will not be running out of applicants any time soon. Dan Bremer, with Agworks H2 LLC, discussed the H-2A program during the Southern Peanut Growers Conference last weekend. He believes farmers will always have labor options if they choose to pursue the H-2A …
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