During President Biden’s State of the Union address, the president talked about his plan to help the nation’s economy. One subject he briefly touched on was the problems with the …
USDA Supports Supply Chain Enhancement with $215 Million Investment
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is making available up to $215 million in grants and other support to expand meat and poultry processing …
DHS Vaccine Mandate Creates Concern for Agriculture
An announcement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding a new vaccine mandate is being met with concern from agricultural groups. All non-U.S. citizens crossing the border into the …
CFLCA Requesting Industry Input on DIR Processing Challenges
The California Farm Labor Contractor Association (CFLCA) is asking for feedback from industry members about their experiences with the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). As CFLCA Executive Director Nigel …
Wage and Overtime Changes to Be Mindful of Heading into 2022
With a new year about to start, it is important for agricultural employers to be aware of all the new regulations that will come into effect. Director of Government and …
Continuing Issues With Farm Labor Contractor Licensing Process
One of the continuing issues being tracked by the California Farm Labor Contractor Association (CFLCA) is the ongoing challenge with farm labor contractor licensing. CFLCA Executive Director Nigel Bocanegra said …
Deere, UAW, Reach Tentative Agreement
Deere & Co and United Auto Workers International reached a tentative new contract. The agreement could lead to the end of a worker strike. The deal was announced over the …
‘No’ to Immigration Reform – Ag Labor in Limbo?
Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough ruled against the Democrats’ plan to provide eight million green cards as a part of their $3.5 trillion spending bill. The Hill says that decision makes …
Use of H-2A Program More Than Triples Between 2010 and 2019
The use of the H-2A program has more than tripled over the last decade. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, the number of H-2A positions …
Higher-Skilled Labor Pool Will Be Key to Keeping U.S. Ag Competitive
With the necessary advances being made to ag technologies, it will be critical to continue advancing the skills of the ag workforce. President and CEO of Western Growers, Dave Puglia …
Challenges Hurdling Guest Worker Programs
This week lawmakers addressed border security, immigration reform and and challenges with securing a reliable farm workforce. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack talked about the current farm guest workers program challenges …
Potential For Year-Round H-2A Access on The Horizon
A bipartisan amendment that was approved by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee will allow for year-round H-2A access. While the year-round availability would be temporary, it would help address critical …
Current Agricultural Labor Market ‘Extraordinarily Concerning’
The agricultural labor market is especially problematic this year, as other industries also struggle to find workers. Labor issues are nothing new for agriculture. However, shortages affecting all segments of …
‘Large Step Forward’ Taken with Farm Labor Reform Roundtable
A recent farm labor reform roundtable brought together Senate leadership, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and farm and farmworker organizations. The group discussed the need for change as detailed in the …