AFBF: H-2A Hits Record In 2019

In fiscal year 2019, the H-2A farm labor program again set a record for certified positions, the number of applications processed and approved.  American Farm Bureau Federation Economist Veronica Nigh considers the more than 258,000 certified positions in 2019 a milestone.

“Passing the quarter of a million positions is a big deal. This is the seventh consecutive year with increases in the H-2A program. Just a few years ago the H-2A program was a very minor part of U.S. on-farm employment.”

While the national Adverse Effect Wage Rate  in 2020 will increase 6% year over year, to $13.99, the state by state increase varies, from a 5% increase in both Washington and Oregon, while Idaho’s rate increased 1%.  Nigh said commodity prices are not keeping up with the growth in the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, causing some concern for specialty crop farmers.

“The receipts data that we see for fruits, nuts and vegetables haven’t kept pace with the growth in the AEWR," Nigh continued.  "So, over the last five years the total cash receipts for those specialty crop growers have increased by two percent between 2015 and 2019.Meanwhile, the national Adverse Effect Wage Rate increased by 17%." 

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