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LAWMAKERS FORM WORKING GROUP TO ADDRESS FARM LABOR SHORTAGE
Jun. 26, 2023
Source: National Pork Producers Council news release
What happened: Members of the House Committee on Agriculture have formed a bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group to tackle the agriculture industry's labor shortage and address other workforce issues.
The working group is being chaired by Representatives Rick Crawford (R-AR) and Don Davis (D-NC) and will look at solutions to the agriculture industry's labor needs, including reforming the existing H-2A visa program. Currently, those visas allow agricultural employers who meet specific requirements to bring a limited number of foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary, seasonal farm jobs. That number is insufficient to meet the workforce needs of livestock farmers, who need year-round workers.
An interim report detailing the industry's labor woes and their impacts on food security and a final report with recommendations to address the workforce issues will be issued by the 14-member working group and used as the basis for potential legislation.
Why it matters: U.S. agriculture relies heavily on immigrant workers and faces a severe labor shortage. Shrinking rural populations, declining immigration to rural areas and the rising median age of farmers have contributed to the lack of available workers, causing negative effects throughout the food supply chain, including in the U.S. pork industry.
NPPC's take: NPPC supports expanding the H-2A visa program to year-round agricultural laborers. It also backs reforming the visa system to address complexity, backlogs, predictability and costs. Although Congress has yet to reach a consensus on immigration reform, NPPC is pleased that lawmakers are discussing U.S. agriculture's workforce needs.
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