By Clint Thompson
Florida’s increased reliance on the H-2A program has the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) appealing to legislators that necessary modifications be made.
“Our two big policy asks are improved access to the H-2A program and wage stability,” said FFVA Director of Labor Relations Jamie Fussell during the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference.
An interim final rule was implemented last October, which should help stabilize the growing wage expenses. The Department of Labor will base Adverse Effect Wage Rates on state-level wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey rather than the U.S. Department of Labor Farm Labor Survey, which was previously used. The FFVA is asking Congress to pass legislation that permanently ensures stable wages.
Improvements Needed
But as Fussell noted, improvements are needed to access the program more efficiently. That’s especially true for his state’s fruit and vegetable farmers who employ H-2A workers more than any other state. The FFVA is asking Congress to expand access to growers who can’t use or have limited use of the program based on seasonal and definitional limitations.
“This is not an easy program to gain access to. Just to be approved, you’re navigating through three federal agencies,” Fussell said. “We are the most reliant state on the H-2A program.”
According to the Department of Labor, there were 56,934 positions certified in Florida in 2025, which comprised 14.3% of the total certified positions.
It was near disaster last October when the government shutdown, including the Department of Labor, temporarily halted the program at a time when Florida farmers needed it the most. Fussell said that about 40% of the 57,000 workers are normally certified between October and December. That equated to about 22,800 workers that were at risk of not being certified and arriving in Florida on time.
“(In November) they resumed processing. It was a bumpy ride,” Fussell said. “We dodged a big bullet.”
Current Dilemma
The current dilemma facing Fussell and the FFVA is a potential delay in drivers arriving in early fall.
“I think it is very prudent of our government to make sure that folks who come in and operate on our roads are operating safely. The process of getting them from point A to point B has really slowed up quite a bit,” Fussell said.
“Right now, Florida is slowly getting towards the end of its season. We’re not bringing in as many H-2A workers right now. The bulk of H-2A workers have been here and are getting ready to go somewhere else. But when workers start returning in August and September and October, especially our drivers, I’m concerned that our drivers are not going to be able to make it in time. That’s a policy issue we’re navigating right now.”