By Clint Thompson
The mandate that all non-U.S individuals entering the United States show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination will impact specialty crop producers hoping to get H-2A workers into the country in time for the spring crop.
That’s the fear anyway shared by American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Director of Congressional Relations Allison Crittendon.
“I think it could cause delays because we’re hearing anecdotally that a one-shot dose from J&J vaccine is not widely available. That means that folks will have to get a two-shot regimen before they can come into the United States,” Crittendon said. “You have to be two weeks past that second dose in order for you to meet the requirements. That certainly adds a long timeline for someone to go and get vaccinated before they can come into the U.S. If you have a start date that’s approaching sometime soon and you have not gotten your vaccination, that could delay the arrival.”
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the rule was mandated on Jan. 22 that all non-U.S. individuals seeking to enter the United State either by land ports or ferry terminals be fully vaccinated and provide proof of vaccination. This rule applies to both essential and non-essential travelers.
“A lot of the vaccines that are widely available from countries like Mexico are not the same ones approved for entry into the United States. That’s presenting a problem. A lot of our workers were vaccinated in the U.S. last year. They shouldn’t have trouble getting in,” Crittendon said. “They still have their vaccine cards, but for some folks the season didn’t line up with vaccine availability in the United States. It is a challenge for those individuals to access the proper vaccines in Mexico or their home country so they can get to the United States on time.”
Florida and Georgia are two of the top users of the H-2A program that allows U.S. employers who meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to the U.S. to fill temporary agricultural jobs. Producers depend on this program for its timeliness, especially since domestic labor is not an option.
“We would love to hire domestic workers, but unfortunately they’re just not available to work on farms. We’ve been experiencing a workforce shortage for many years now. That’s evident in the growth of the H-2A program,” Crittendon said. “Folks use the H-2A program because they have no other option in which to find labor. This new requirement is an added step in which a worker and a grower have to go through in order to have an H-2A worker come to their farm.”
