On June 21 American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall released a statement on the House Agriculture Committee formation of a bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group to address pressing issues facing farmers.
The group was formed earlier that day and announced by House Ag Committee Chair GT Thompson (R-PA) and Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA). The new group is, according to a story posted by FarmProgress at https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-policy/house-ag-committee-announces-new-labor-taskforce , “a direct response to feedback from a multitude of producers who say the current lack of reliable workers is one of their biggest challenges.”
“Though not directly in our committee’s jurisdiction, we have a responsibility to be a voice in Congress on the issues and policies impacting farmers and ranchers,” the two committee members said in a joint statement. “This is a complex problem that deserves the focused attention of the members who hear from producers every day rather than the partisan grandstanding that has plagued these efforts in the past.”
The Agriculture Labor Working Group will be co-chaired by Reps. Rick Crawford (R-AR) and Don Davis (D-NC) and will solicit feedback from industry stakeholders for a variety of issues, including H-2A visas. The group plans, according to FarmProgress, to “issue an interim report discussing the visa program’s problems and their impacts on American agriculture. The group plans a final report with recommendations on addressing H-2A’s shortcomings.
The group’s 14 members were chosen to represent “nearly every sector and region of the agriculture industry, FarmProgress noted. They are Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR); Yadira Caraveo (D-CO); Monica De La Cruz (R-TX); Salud Carbajal (D-CA); Doug LaMalfa (R-CA); Jim Costa (D-CA); Nick Langworthy (R-NY); Jasmine Crockett (D-TX); David Rouzer (R-NC); Darren Soto (D-FL); Derrick Van Orden (R-WI); and Gabe Vasquez (D-NM).
In his statement AFBF President Duvall said, “AFBF appreciates Chairman GT Thompson and Ranking Member David Scott for coming together to investigate the labor challenges facing America’s farmers and ranchers. Labor is one of the biggest limiting factors facing agriculture, and farmers need a system that provides long-term stability. We are committed to engaging with the newly formed working group to address meaningful H-2A reform and a reasonable wage rate that enables farmers and their employees to continue meeting the needs of America’s families.”
