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Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Labor”
By Clint Thompson The newly signed United States-Mexico-Canada agreement (USMCA) raises almost as many questions as it answers with respect to labor costs, according to Greg Fonsah, University of Georgia agribusiness Extension economist. “The H-2A program which is in place is very expensive for the farmers, and that helps to increase the cost of production,” Fonsah said. “The good part …
(NSF) — Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push for a politically charged immigration proposal has begun to expose a clash between Republicans as this year’s legislative session starts. The governor kicked off the session Tuesday by reminding lawmakers about one of his top priorities: a proposed mandate for all Florida employers to use the federal government’s E-Verify system to check new hires …
(GFVGA) — On Nov. 14, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it would increase immigration fees charged by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by an average of 21 percent for all applications, while limiting the number of beneficiaries per filing. However, H-2A program users will see significantly larger increases if this proposal were to go into …
By Karla Arboleda Mike Joyner, president of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA), spoke to specialty crop growers about efforts toward labor reform and the current draft of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). LABOR REFORM While meeting with members of the Florida Blueberry Growers Association, Joyner talked about the Farm Workforce Modernization Act that was introduced on Oct. 30. …
As labor continues to be a top-priority issue for producers nationwide, Congressman Ted Yoho is aiming to lessen worries of a labor shortage by introducing a new ag guest worker bill. He discussed this new bill in a recent exclusive interview with AgNet Media’s Abbey Taylor. According to Yoho, the bill shies away from immigration and focuses solely on ensuring …
By Amy Wolfe Growers across the United States, and the Southeast in particular, are once again challenged to find stable, consistent and quality sources of labor. Long dependent upon the H-2A guest worker visa program, growers continue to rely heavily on their knowledge and effective use of the only viable, legal mechanism for securing foreign labor. Trends show, however, that …
The H-2A program is set to be revamped. President Trump recently announced that the Department of Labor (DOL) will start the modernization process for the H-2A guest worker program. The DOL published a formal rule change, stating “it should streamline and simplify the H-2A application process, strengthen protections for U.S. and foreign workers, and ease unnecessary burdens on employers.” DOL announced on …
Navigating the H-2A program can be confusing and cumbersome. But, thanks to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), growers applying to the program now have a new tool in the form of an interactive H-2A checklist. According to Kaveh Sadeghzadeh, deputy director of communications for USDA farm production and conservation, “The H-2A checklist tool is the first phase of an …
This op-ed, written by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, originally appeared in The Telegraph. He Oversees Nation’s Farm Policy and He Has Bone to Pick with UGA Trade Deal Study The University of Georgia (UGA) recently published a study claiming the new United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) would cost some Georgia vegetable and fruit growers revenue and jobs. The sensational …
By Karla Arboleda While the H-2A program in the United States helps agriculture when native workers are not able or willing, experts agree that H-2A reform could lead to a more sustainable industry. The hard work and discipline required of people working on farms have become less attractive to Americans. This puts U.S. growers at a disadvantage in comparison to …
