The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it will discontinue the Farm Labor Survey, a decision that may have significant implications for farm wage reporting and the future of agricultural labor programs like H-2A.
According to a filing in the Federal Register, USDA is ending the long-standing survey due to “recent improvements to the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and wage statistic programs” which the agency describes as a “superior barometer for measuring farm wages.” The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) also emphasized that the Farm Labor Survey is outdated, stating that it began in the 19th century and is “not designed for the current state of agriculture or labor.”
This decision comes at a time of growing dissatisfaction among agricultural employers regarding how the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) is calculated—an issue particularly affecting Georgia growers. Chris Butts, Executive Vice President of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, welcomed the move, stating:
“We have worked for years to gain a better understanding of the AEWR process that has resulted in massive increases, over 30% in three years for Georgia growers, but the process and resulting increases have remained a frustrating mystery. The AEWR increases in Georgia have pushed growers to the brink and have rendered the H-2A program unsustainable. We are grateful to Secretary Rollins and her team at USDA for demonstrating the leadership to bring an end to these unfair wages and to help restore a level playing field for our rural agricultural communities.”
While the USDA’s action may ease burdens for some growers, it also shifts the responsibility of farm wage reporting entirely to the Department of Labor. Industry stakeholders will now closely watch how this transition affects agricultural labor practices, H-2A program sustainability, and future wage determinations.
As the agricultural sector adapts to this change, growers, labor advocates, and policymakers alike will need to reassess how best to maintain fair and accurate compensation for farm workers nationwide.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.