With labor a constant concern for California producers, farm mechanization research and investment present a viable mitigation approach. Mechanized farming equipment cannot address all the issues related to the continually …
Farmworker COVID Safety Project Launched Through UC Davis
The University of California, Davis, have launched a farmworker COVID safety project with a multitude of partners. Funded by a $3 million contract, the COVID-19 Statewide Agriculture and Farmworker Education …
DOL Issues Final Rule for H-2A Certification Program
A final rule was recently issued that will update the H-2A certification program. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the amendments on January 15. The announcement comes after extensive …
H-2A Wage Freeze Blocked by Federal Judge Ruling
A federal judge has blocked the H-2A wage freeze that the Department of Labor (DOL) announced back in November. The DOL decision would have kept H-2A wages at 2020 rates …
Federal Judge Rejects USDA Changes to H-2A Program
An update to the H-2A program has been put on hold by a California federal court. The Department of Labor’s decision to freeze farm workers’ wages for those using the …
California Citrus Mutual Encourages Participation in H-2A Survey
California Citrus Mutual (CCM) is encouraging industry participation in their brief labor survey. The data that is collected through the survey will be used in advocacy efforts on the state …
New Report Details Findings of Ag Labor Investigations
A new report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) provides in-depth analysis of ag labor investigations over the past twenty years. The Federal Labor Standards Enforcement in Agriculture report notes …
Farmworker Groups Sue Over DOL Decision Regarding Wage Rates
Farmworker groups are taking legal action against the recent decision not to increase H-2A wage rates. The United Farm Workers (UFW) and the UFW Foundation are suing the Department of …
Agriculture Labor Keeping Leaders Engaged During Administration Transition
A change in the White House is not a ‘wait and see’ situation for agricultural groups looking at agricultural labor. The transition period is ramping up as the Biden-Harris administration prepares for …
H-2A Labor Rates Stay the Same Through 2022
A legal compromise stabilizes H-2A labor rates for two more years. In an effort to reduce production costs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture tried to discontinue the use of its Farm …
H-2A Wages to Remain Stable Over the Next Two Years
The Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that H-2A wages will remain at 2020 rates for the next two years. DOL is revising the methodology for how the department determines …
Housing for the Harvest Program Continues to Expand
The Housing for the Harvest program is continuing to expand to cover more areas of California. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently announced that Yolo and Imperial …
Important Labor Questions for Farmers and Ranchers
With 2020 quickly coming to a close, industry members are looking ahead at some of the labor concerns coming in 2021. Executive Director for the California Farm Labor Contractor Association …
Virtual Ag Labor Forum Coming Up November 17-18
The California Farm Labor Contractor Association (CFLCA) is hosting the annual Ag Labor Forum online this year, on November 17 and 18. The theme for this year’s event is ‘Management in …