By Clint Thompson and Josh McGill
Mike Joyner is an optimistic ag leader as president of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA). But his optimism is tested when discussing reform in the H-2A program.
“I will tell you this has got an uphill battle. It hurts for me to say that. It’s painful for me to say it out loud,” Joyner said.
It is hard not to disagree with Joyner’s outlook since it’s been 40 years since the program has been modernized. But U.S. Representative Glenn “GT” Thompson’s (PA-15) Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act of 2026 could make reform not just a dream but a reality. The legislation makes key improvements to the accessibility and cost of agricultural labor through the H-2A program.
Unfortunately, ag labor is a political hot topic, because it involves depending on a foreign workforce to work on the farm. That’s what has kept reform at bay for so long and why it could be stalled again this year.
“I was a part of the group that actually got an opportunity to speak a month ago when we rolled this out. Unfortunately, what happens is it gets wrapped up in the immigration issue,” Joyner said. “We want to separate it. We say, look, it’s a very different issue, but it gets wrapped up. While I’d love to sit here and tell you that we can get this done by the end of the year, this one’s got some pretty strong headwinds. We’re going to continue to work it. We’re going to continue to work with the chairs of the committees and get signatures and things like that. But this is not going to be as quick as we’d like.”