House Amendment Allows Dairy Employees Year-Round Access to H-2A

Dan Dairy, Labor and Immigration

The American Dairy Coalition and its members across the country are pleased with the passage of the Cellar-Newhouse Amendment. It allows year-round dairy employees to utilize the H-2A visa program. The coalition says without a tool to provide the nation’s dairy farmers with a reliable workforce, farms will struggle to grow or sustain their operations. The amendment will provide a …

Trump on China Trade Talks and Mexico Immigration Deal

Dan Exports/Imports, Industry News Release, Labor and Immigration, Trade

(NAFB) President Trump says in a hopeful sign for renewed trade talks with China, that he expects to meet with President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Japan later this month. Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office during a meeting with Poland’s president, now says he plans to meet with China’s Xi Jinping this …

Animal Activist Groups Target Tyson Again Over Contract Growers

Dan Industry News Release, Labor and Immigration, Poultry

The activist group Mercy for Animals is going after Tyson Foods again, but this time it’s not about the chickens. It’s in regards to Tyson’s treatment of its contract growers. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says Mercy for Animals is launching a four-billboard campaign in northern Georgia seeking anonymous reports from contract farmers about Tyson Foods. The relationship between growers and the …

Perdue Responds to UGA Study on USMCA

Dan Georgia, Industry News Release, Labor and Immigration

He oversees nation’s farm policy and he has bone to pick with UGA trade deal study The University of Georgia (UGA) recently published a study claiming the new United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) would cost some Georgia vegetable and fruit growers revenue and jobs. The sensational assertions are flat wrong. As a proud UGA alumnus, I’m here to tell you USMCA …

Farm Bureau Statement on Trump Immigration Reform Proposal

Dan Industry News Release, Labor and Immigration

The following may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “Farm Bureau welcomes President Trump’s focus on fixing our nation’s broken immigration system. However, nowhere is reform more critical than in the agricultural sector. Labor shortages now are being felt by farmers and ranchers across the country, in dairy, fruits and vegetables, mushroom, livestock and other sectors. …

USDA Launches New Farmers.gov Features to Help with H2A Applications, Managing Loans

Dan Economy, Industry News Release, Labor and Immigration

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched two new features on farmers.gov to help customers manage their farm loans and navigate the application process for H2A visas. “Customer service is our top priority at USDA and these new features will help our customers as they manage their farm loans and navigate the H-2A temporary agricultural …

AFBF Concerned about Labor, Trade if Border Closed

Dan Industry News Release, Labor and Immigration, Trade

The American Farm Bureau Federation is urging the administration to make sure that any steps undertaken to tighten enforcement at the U.S. border do not create more uncertainty for agricultural producers. “Right now, farmers and ranchers are toughing it out,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Many of our products are caught up in a trade dispute. Mother Nature has devastated the …

Talk of Closing Mexico Border Concerns Ag Groups

Dan Labor and Immigration

There has been a lot in the news the past few days about President Trump’s threats to close the southern border unless Mexico takes steps to stop the illegal border crossings. And the possibility of this happening concerns many ag groups. Dairy producers point out that Mexico remains the largest export market for U.S. milk products, accounting for $1.4 billion …