Farm Workforce Modernization Act Reintroduced

On Wednesday Central Washington's Dan Newhouse and California's Zoe Lofgren reintroduced the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. The lawmakers says the bipartisan bill, which passed the House during last year’s Congress, aims to ensure a legal, reliable workforce for America’s farmers and ranchers. Among other provisions, it would amend the H-2A program to allow a capped number of visas for farmworkers to work year-round.

“American agriculture is desperately in need of a legal, reliable workforce. The Farm Workforce Modernization Actis a solution, negotiated in good faith by agriculture groups, labor representatives, and Members on both sides of the aisle, that will do just that,” Newhouse said. “As one of only a few farmers in Congress, I understand the invaluable contributions our producers and farmworkers make to our nation’s unparalleled agriculture industry. Bringing our agriculture labor program into the 21^st century is absolutely critical as we work to recover from the impacts of the pandemic and ensure a stable food supply chain in the United States. We must act now to provide certainty to farmers, ranchers, and farmworkers across the country.”

“The men and women who work America’s farms feed the nation. But many of them do so while living and working in a state of uncertainty and fear, which has only been heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic,”  Lofgren said. “Stabilizing the workforce will protect the future of our farms and our food supply. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act accomplishes this by providing a path to legal status for farmworkers and updating and streamlining the H-2A temporary worker visa program while ensuring fair wages and working conditions for all workers. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both Houses of Congress to get this bipartisan legislation that serves the best interests of our country to the President’s desk.”

Click Here to learn more about the legislation.

“For decades the National Milk Producers Federation has fought hard for agricultural labor reform, working with our champions in Congress and across administrations for solutions that address dairy’s workforce needs," said NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern. "With COVID adding greater uncertainty to the already volatile dairy industry, our producers need access to a stable, legal workforce more now than ever. We thank Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) for their leadership in ag labor reform efforts and for reintroducing the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. 

“This bipartisan bill takes a significant step toward ultimately addressing through legislation the workforce crisis plaguing American agriculture," Mulhern continued. "NMPF urges the House to swiftly pass this bipartisan measure to demonstrate to the Senate that bipartisan ag labor reform can and must be done. NMPF would then continue its work to strengthen areas in this legislation that are key for dairy’s workforce as this priority issue moves forward in the Senate.”

“We appreciate the efforts of Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Dan Newhouse, and all of our congressional champions, to keep the agricultural labor crisis front and center in the debate over immigration reform," noted Western Growers President & CEO Dave Puglia. "The Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which was passed with bipartisan support in the House in 2019, is the culmination of nearly a decade of negotiations between key stakeholders and represents an important first step toward resolving, once and for all, one of the biggest challenges facing American farmers.

“Two critical needs for agriculture are addressed in this legislation. First, it provides a mechanism to ensure that farming operations can retain existing, experienced workers. Secondly, the bill reforms the visa program to secure a reliable future flow of guest workers. Additionally, after a satisfactory transition period, it includes E-Verify for agricultural employers, demonstrating our industry’s commitment to a long-term labor solution.

“We recognize that there is more work to be done, but this marks a major step forward. The viability of family farms and rural communities across the country, as well as a safe and secure domestic food supply, requires an adequate workforce. We will continue working to advance this legislation and enlisting the support of problem-solving legislators of both parties in both houses as well as the Biden Administration this year.”

“The U.S. Apple Association applauds today’s reintroduction of the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act, H.R. 1537," said Jim Bair, President and CEO of U.S. Apple Association. "This legislation is a necessary and important first step in addressing the labor crisis growers and other farmers are experiencing. We thank Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) and others for reintroducing this meaningful agriculture labor reform that will greatly benefit the U.S. apple industry, which relies heavily on foreign born labor.

“Like the legislation that passed the House in 2019 with broad, bipartisan support, the 2021 Farm Workforce Modernization Act will stabilize the current agricultural workforce by creating a process for them to gain work authorization to continue working in agriculture. The legislation introduced today is substantively the same legislation as in 2019, but includes technical updates to reflect the passing of time.

“The bill also brings needed modernization and cost containment to the H-2A agricultural guestworker program. It represents a significant improvement over the status quo for our growers in the H-2A program and those who employ domestic workers. The legislation is a compromise and the first step in a lengthy process. We will continue to provide input and seek improvements as that process moves forward. 

“Each year growers coast to coast face uncertainty as to whether there will be sufficient labor to harvest the crop. The current system causes an unstable situation for not only apple growers, but for all farmers who depend on immigrant labor to bring Americans healthy and affordable food. A stable, legal and reliable workforce is critical if we are to continue to have a vibrant domestic apple supply. For these reasons, we urge Congress to pass this legislation so that it can move to the Senate.”

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