Labor Shortage
Labor Shortage
“The bottom line is that we need a migrant worker program that respects and enforces our immigration laws while providing these industries with the workforce they need.”
That headline sums up the mission of the Agricultural Labor Working Group (ALWG) formed by the House Agriculture Committee, which just released its final report.
The ALWG identified the factors contributing to a shortage of domestic workers and the impact this shortage is having on farms and ranches. The study focused on the H-2A visa program for non-immigrant agricultural workers.
Key findings and recommendations are based on extensive stakeholder input gathered during roundtable sessions and additional consultations. The report breaks down the policy recommendations into three categories: those that earned unanimous consent, those with majority support, and recommendations that were excluded.
Some of the recommendations were adopted with unanimous support include:
- Simplifying and streamlining the application process.
- Granting year-round industries access to the H-2A program
- Federal Heat Standard for H2-A workers
- Wage reform
The ALWG hopes this report will guide public policy development and result in effective, targeted bipartisan legislation.
The report is a quick read. Let us know what you think at info@horsecouncil.org
