farm labor survey

Farm Bill Delays Due to Immigration Issues

Efforts have been taking place to resurrect the House version of the 2018 Farm Bill after last week’s defeat. One reason for the defeat was an unrelated fight over immigration reform. American Farm Bureau Federation’s Andrew Walmsley says this isn’t over yet, after 30-GOP conservatives sunk the bill in a bid to win a vote on tough immigration reforms. Farm …

House Farm Bill Dormant Amid Immigration Dispute

House Republican leadership is currently struggling with immigration issues and it’s put the House farm bill that didn’t pass on Friday right on the back burner. The Hagstrom Report describes the bill as “dormant.” Speaker Paul Ryan called for reconsideration of the bill immediately after the vote on Friday. He declared that the “ayes” had won the voice vote but …

Workforce Modernization Act

Agri View: Farmers and the Labor Law

Everett Griner talks about farmers wanting a new labor law in today’s Agri View. He takes a look at the current H-2A program and shares some agriculture labor statistics. Farmers and the Labor Law Agriculture is America’s largest employer. The number of those who work on farms is not a firm figure, but it is always the most. Think about …

Analyst: Labor Shortages and Volatile Feed Prices Ahead for Meat Industry

A Rabobank analyst says the U.S. could be on the tail end of the second longest expansion of its economy in history. Rabobank Analyst Don Close told the North American Meat Institute this week there are implications for the meat industry, including a pending labor shortage and possible volatile commodity prices ahead, according to meat industry publication Meatingplace. Close warns …

Administration Vows To Arrange for Farmworkers To Enter U.S.

While Congress continues the struggle to pass immigration reform legislation, work is being done on administrative actions that might make it a little easier to hire farmworkers. According to Gary Crawford, both President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue say that there will be a legal system to provide U.S. farmers with the foreign-born workers they need. Administration Vows To Arrange …

Immigration Verification Proposal Scuttled

Florida businesses won’t have to worry about voters requiring them to verify the immigration status of new employees. The state Constitution Revision Commission on Monday rejected a proposal that would have asked voters in November to require businesses to use a system similar to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Employment Authorization Program, known as E-Verify, to determine immigration-related eligibility …

Group Fights Immigration Verification Proposal

A wide-ranging coalition that includes a major Republican donor, cruise-line officials, agricultural interests and former pro basketball players is seeking to halt a proposed constitutional amendment that would require Florida businesses to verify the immigration status of new employees. The state Constitution Revision Commission is expected next week to consider putting the proposal on the November ballot. But members of …

USDA Looking for Administrative Ways to Help Farmers Get Workers

While Congress continues the struggle to pass immigration reform legislation, work is being done in the meantime on administrative actions that might make it a little easier to hire farm workers. Gary Crawford has the story. USDA Looking for Administrative Ways to Help Farmers Get Workers Sponsored ContentFlorida Cattle Enhancement Board Provides Funding For Quicker Response to Research QuestionsApril 10, …

Study: Trump Tariffs to Cost an Estimated 24,000 Agriculture Jobs

A study by the Trade Partnership estimates that the Trump administration’s steel and aluminum tariffs will cost 495,000 jobs in the United States. That figure is up from a previous estimate of 179,000 jobs. Specific to agriculture, the report estimates that tariffs will cost 24,000 jobs. The job losses, according to the study, would impact the services, manufacturing and agricultural …