Manuel Cunha Calls H-2A Labor System “Unworkable” for Local Growers
AgNet West’s Nick Papagni, “The Ag Meter”, recently sat down with Manuel Cunha, president of the Nisei Farmers League, to discuss pressing agricultural labor challenges facing California. At the center of the conversation was the controversial H-2A guestworker program.
“That program has a lot of problem,” said Cunha. “Right now, we have to take care of the workers that are here, that have been here for 20, 30 years. It’s our Congress that’s at fault for not getting immigration done over the past 30 years and only use immigration to get re-elected every time.”
Cunha emphasized that the H-2A program—while intended to fill labor shortages—is placing an unsustainable burden on many California farmers.
In 2025, it costs growers around $23.50 an hour per H-2A worker due to federal mandates requiring employers to provide housing, transportation, and food. California’s $16.50 state minimum wage sets a high baseline, which significantly increases the total cost of compliance.
“It’s a very costly program,” Cunha noted. “It’s not workable for many, many of our farmers.”
While the program is used in some East Coast regions where year-round agriculture isn’t as prevalent, Cunha argued that California’s workforce already lives within rural communities and is deeply rooted in the agricultural economy.
“Most of the workers live in our rural communities. They are part of those farms and those families.”
Cunha continues to advocate for comprehensive immigration reform that supports both long-standing local workers and the sustainability of California farms.
The full interview, where Cunha discusses more about the labor issues, and things concerning labor in California agriculture, can be heard here.