(NSF/TALLAHASSEE/April 25, 2023) — Warning about a “looming disaster,” Florida farmers and agriculture groups have filed a lawsuit seeking to block a new federal rule about wages for farmworkers. The lawsuit, filed Friday in federal court in Tampa, centers on a minimum wage related to temporary farmworkers coming into the United States under what are known as H-2A visas. The …
AFBF Hails Bipartisan Effort to Freeze Wage Rate
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) urges Congress to pass legislation to freeze the 2023 Adverse Effect Wage Rate, or AEWR. AFBF says the rate distorts labor costs for farmers across the country who hire nearly 400,000 employees through the H-2A program. The bipartisan Farm Operations Support Act temporarily resets the AEWR at 2022 levels, providing much need wage relief …
Rural Job Growth Shifting to High-Skill Workers
There’s a shift in rural jobs. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Over the last two decades, the strongest rural job gains were in smaller industries that tend to employ high-skill workers. USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) reports the highest growth was in the real estate industry. According to experts like CALC job placement services, also showing rapid …
UFW Assigns Blame for Lack of Immigration Action
United Farm Workers (UFW) leadership laid the blame for a lack of action in Washington on immigration at the feet of the Republican Party and the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). The Senate decided not to include worker immigration legislation in the fiscal year 2023 omnibus appropriations bill. The omnibus passed the House last week and is on the way …
Federal Omnibus Deal Fails to Include Farm Labor Act
On Dec. 22, the U.S. Senate passed the omnibus appropriations bill. The $1.7 trillion measure would fund the federal government through the remainder of 2023. The measure now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote to avoid a government shutdown on the evening of Dec. 23. Much to the dismay of farm groups nationwide, the Senate Affordable …
Workforce Modernization Act Could Save Billions in Labor Costs
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act awaits Senate action during the lame-duck session, and it’s the closest meaningful immigration reform has come to the finish line in years. Research by David Bier, Cato Institute associate director of immigration studies, shows farmers would save billions over the next few years if the Senate passes the legislation. “The Farm workforce Modernization Act would …
House Acts to Prevent Rail Strike
The House of Representatives Wednesday took action to avert a pending rail strike. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, on the house floor Wednesday, stated, “A shutdown would grind our economy to a halt, and every family would feel the strain,” while adding, “Small businesses wouldn’t be able to get their products to market. Many of them, as I say, farmers.” National …
Union Pushes Back Date for Potential Railroad Worker Strike
A key railroad workers’ union says it won’t go on strike after November 19. The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way – Employees Division says it will hold off on any type of action until early December. Freight Waves Dot Com says that will give railroads more time to come up with their best offer without the pressure of an imminent …
U.S. Railway Strike Looming
Reports are saying a U.S. railway strike is imminent after the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen union voted last week against ratification of the National Tentative Agreement reached on September 15. Just over 60% of their voting members voted not to approve. The BRS negotiated this round of bargaining as a member of the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (CBC) and later the United Rail …
USDA-NRCS in Florida Announces Local Work Group Meetings
Florida’s Local Working Group (LWG) meeting schedule for Fiscal Year 2023 has been announced by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The NRCS and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts host the LWG meetings, where input and recommendations are discussed to develop solutions using Farm Bill programs. The LWGs provide recommendations to USDA on criteria for conservation activities and programs, and …