California farmers and ranchers are being asked to participate in the 2019 labor survey to establish an accurate baseline of the state’s labor needs. The Farm Employers Labor Service and …
California Lawmakers Introduce New Immigration Legislation for Ag Workers
Three Democratic lawmakers from California have just presented new immigration legislation that would create an opportunity for undocumented agricultural workers to apply for legal status. Senator Dianne Feinstein, Congressman Jimmy …
Navigating the H-2A Guest Worker Program
U.S. farmers and ranchers discussed the current state of regulations governing the farm labor market and efforts to navigate it, at a workshop during the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 100th …
New Overtime Requirements Need Attention
Several regulatory changes will be affecting the cost of labor this year, including new labor laws that pertain to minimum wage, workday and overtime requirements, as well as paid leave …
AFBF Hopes to Maintain Advertising Requirements for Farm Labor Positions
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently proposed changes to the advertising requirements for farm labor positions. The current rule requires employers to advertise available positions in local print newspapers …
New Sexual Harassment Training Requirements Beginning in 2019
A new law comes into effect in January and makes significant changes to sexual harassment training requirements. Prior to the new regulations coming into effect, sexual harassment prevention training did …
Nighttime Labor Regulations Quietly Moving Fast
A proposal to implement further nighttime labor regulations for the agricultural industry is continuing to make progress. The Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, had previously …
National H-2A Workforce Sets New Record
A new record has been set as it pertains to the size of the H-2A workforce employed in agricultural production. According to figures from the U.S. Department of Labor, the …
Agri View: Problems Farmers Face Each Year
Producing a crop each year isn’t the only thing farmers have to worry about. Everett Griner talks about a few of the biggest problems farmers are faced with each day …
New Labor Proposal Includes Same Challenges for California Agriculture
A new labor proposal introduced in the House of Representatives recently, the AG and Legal Workforce Act (ALWA), has received mixed reactions from the agriculture industry. Many provisions in the …
USDA Applauds Housing Eligibility for Temporary Farm Workers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released internal guidance on changes made to farm labor housing eligibility. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 amended a section of the Housing Act …
Ag Labor Fix Tied to DACA Bill in Congress
A complete overhaul of the American agricultural guest worker program is a major part of a House of Representatives’ plan to fix the immigration status of young people involved in …
Conaway Supports House Guest Worker Bill
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway offered his approval to a bill that would bring reforms to agriculture labor. Wednesday, the House Judiciary Committee approves the Ag Act, which supporters …
Agri View: Farm Labor
Everett Griner talks about farm labor. A problem plaguing agriculture nationwide in today’s Agri View. Farm Labor