Labor

New Florida immigration law sparks panic in ag

A new immigration law recently signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is reported to be creating panic in the state's agricultural operations. The new law is expected to produce a wide-ranging impact on a variety... more »

Michigan members of Congress oppose H-2A fee hikes

A bipartisan group of U.S. representatives from Michigan are asking the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reconsider proposed fee increases for employing ag workers in the H-2A temporary visa program. On top of increases... more »

PickTrace offers webinar on ag employment issues

PickTrace, whose workforce and productivity management software solution is designed for growers, is presenting a webinar on being prepared for audits from the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour division. The 1.5-hour PickTrace webinar is... more »

Growers change plans to make up for labor shortage

The labor situation facing specialty crop growers in the U.S. can be illustrated with a single number: 371,619. That’s the number of H-2A temporary visas certified by the federal government in fiscal year 2022, and... more »

New approach helps Chill C Farms thwart labor shortages

A southern Georgia grower has found a novel way to help solve his labor headaches. Chill C Farms, a Moultrie, Georgia, grower and shipper of bell peppers, squash, cucumbers, cabbage, eggplant and hot peppers, recruits... more »

DOL webinar focuses on H-2A wage changes

The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification has scheduled a webinar on April 4 to educate stakeholders on new wage rules for the H-2A program. The DOL recently approved new Adverse Effect Wage... more »

Georgia Senate recognizes farmworkers

Georgia senators passed a resolution to recognize March 25-31 as Farmworker Awareness Week. Sen. Sam Watson, co-owner of Chill C Farms, Moultrie, spoke about the importance of the 35,000 farmworkers who worked in Georgia fields... more »

Senators seek rollback of H-2A wages to 2022 rates

Farm groups are urging Congress to pass the Farm Operations Support Act, which would decrease the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) paid to H-2A temporary visa farm workers to 2022 levels. That would drop the... more »

NCAE webinar focuses on labor program wages

The National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE) is presenting the second installment of its educational webinar series focusing on the Department of Labor’s (DOL) new Adverse Effect Wage Rate regulation. The webinar will be moderated... more »

USDA session tackles H-2A, labor shortages

To combat increasing labor shortages, growers are adapting labor-saving technology and modifying their cultivation practices, including lessening and delaying pruning and weeding. The gravity of the crisis was highlighted in a session at the Feb.... more »