While immigration reform bills failed in the Senate last week, farm leaders are pressing for House action to include agricultural workers. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is urging lawmakers to get behind a bid by House Judiciary Chair Bob Goodlatte to include the AG Act in his broader immigration reform bill. Farm Leaders Pressing for Action on Immigration Reform …
Farm Bureau Statement on AG Act Workforce Legislation
The American Farm Bureau Federation is calling on all members of Congress to support House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte in his goal of including the AG Act in the Securing America’s Future Act. “We are at a crisis point in agriculture,” American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall said. “Chairman Bob Goodlatte wants to address our problem and has included …
Immigration Debate in Congress Still Struggling
The Senate’s immigration debate ended on Thursday with no deal. Neither a bipartisan plan nor President Trump’s proposal had the required number of votes to pass. Every proposal considered couldn’t reach the 60-vote threshold. That leaves the undocumented immigrants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in limbo and lawmakers unsure of what’s next in the debate. In the …
Concerns Rising about Farm Worker Shortages
In the immigration debate, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue hopes that lawmakers pay attention to the critical shortage of farm workers for U.S. farms. Gary Crawford has the story. Concerns Rising about Farm Worker Shortages Sponsored ContentCIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsNovember 1, 2024Nuseed Carinata Covers New GroundOctober 1, 2024TriEst Ag Group: Partners in ProfitabilityApril 1, 2024
Remember to Invest in Farm and Ranch Employees
When it comes to farming, it’s important to remember your number one assets. Forget about all the fantastic technology and equipment available for ag these days, focus on the most important cog in your business machinery, your people. As labor becomes harder and harder for growers to find, its important invest the time to develop a culture at your business …
Ag Labor Fix Tied to DACA Bill in Congress
A complete overhaul of the American agricultural guest worker program is a major part of a House of Representatives’ plan to fix the immigration status of young people involved in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA). The DACA program is currently tied up in an immigration reform battle on Capitol Hill. A DTN report says Virginia Republican Bob …
Agri View: Migrant Labor Program Changes Dragging
Everett Griner takes a look at the H-2A Program, explains what it is, and why it is important to agriculture in today’s Agri View. Migrant Labor Program Changes Dragging Officially it is known as the H-2A Program. It is a law farmers use to bring migrant workers into the United States to help produce our crops. In reality, farmers do not …
AFBF President Zippy Duvall Discusses Farm Labor
Delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2018 Annual Convention this week unanimously re-elected AFBF President Zippy Duvall. Delegates also approved measures to help assure a prosperous agricultural and rural economy in the coming year and beyond. During a press conference, one issue Duvall was asked about was immigration reform and farm labor. This past year, many farmers were forced …
Dairy Farming Desperate for Immigration Reform
Next to the cost of feeding their animals, the cost of labor on dairy farms will always take up a large share of the budget. A Milk Business Dot Com article says labor costs will rise in the new year. As of January first, farmers in some of the largest dairy-producing states now face government-mandated higher minimum wages. California farmers …
DuPont Pioneer Confirms Iowa Layoffs
DuPont Pioneer officials earlier this week confirmed the company has laid off “an undisclosed number of workers” in Iowa. A spokesperson for the company said the layoffs are an effort to “integrate our operations and establish a streamlined, efficient, built-for-purpose organization.” DuPont and Dow Chemical closed their $150 billion merger this fall, with plans of creating several smaller companies, including …