By Clint Thompson A small group of people can sometimes boast the loudest voices. For some specialty crop producers, that can impede progress. David Hill, president of Southern Hill Farms in Clermont, Fla., and chairman of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, recently testified to the Florida Senate Agriculture Committee on the state’s fruit and vegetable industry. One of his …
An Advocate for All Growers
By Clint Thompson Karla Thompson is a lawyer by training and farmer by marriage. That combination makes her one of the Southeast’s leading advocates for growers. “I think with advocacy work it really helps because I understand the misperceptions and ideas that people have about the ag industry because I had them myself,” Thompson says. “Before I got involved in …
H-2A Worker Numbers Still Rising
U.S. agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of U.S. domestic workers can fill seasonal farm jobs with temporary foreign workers through the H-2A visa program. The Department of Labor certified around 317,000 temporary jobs in fiscal year (FY) 2021 under the H-2A visa program, more than six times the number certified in 2005. Only about 80% of the certified jobs …
Senate Labor Act Left Out of Omnibus Deal
By Frank Giles On Dec. 22, the U.S. Senate passed the omnibus appropriations bill. The $1.7 trillion measure would fund the federal government through the remainder of 2023. The measure now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote to avoid a government shutdown on the evening of Dec. 23. Much to the dismay of farm groups nationwide, …
No Ag Labor Reform in Omnibus Package
By Frank Giles On Dec. 22, the U.S. Senate passed the omnibus appropriations bill. The $1.7 trillion measure would fund the federal government through the remainder of 2023. The measure now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote to avoid a government shutdown on the evening of Dec. 23. Much to the dismay of farm groups nationwide, …
GFVGA Frustrated by Ag Labor’s Lack of Inclusion in Omnibus Spending Bill
The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) expressed disappointment following the news that agriculture labor reform was left out of the Omnibus spending package being finalized in Congress. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) introduced the Affordable Secure Food Act last week. It was a counterpart to the Farm Worker Modernization Act that was passed by the House in 2021. The …
Florida Associations Applaud Senate Farm Labor Bill
The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) supports the bill introduced in the Senate on Thursday, titled the Affordable and Secure Food Act of 2022 (ASFA). The bill is similar to the Farm Workforce Modernization Act that was passed in the House in 2021. It would create a path to legal status for undocumented farmworkers and freeze the Adverse Effect …
Labor Challenges Increase Farm Economy Pressures
Labor demands continue to stretch thin the farming operations of specialty crop producers across the U.S., with rising wage rates and record usage of the H-2A visa program. Meaningful reforms to the federal government’s guest worker program must be a priority for Congress by the end of the year. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), along with more than 350 …
GFVGA Issues Letter to Georgia Congressional Delegation Following AEWR Announcement
By Clint Thompson The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association issued a letter on Dec. 5 to the entire Georgia Congressional Delegation. The letter was in response to the 14% increase in the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, which would increase from $11.99 per hour in 2022 to $13.68 per hour in 2023. Chris Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia …
GFVGA Executive Vice President: AEWR Increase Will Cost Growers Additional $100 Million
By Clint Thompson The Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for Georgia’s specialty crop producers will increase from $11.99 per hour in 2022 to $13.68 per hour in 2023. A 14% increase in the AEWR for the state’s farmers is not sustainable, says Chris Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA). “Our guys continue to …