Everett Griner talks about labor issues in today’s Agri View. Everett discusses how, and why, the meat processing industry needs a permanent labor staff. Chicken Pickin’ Meat Processing Labor Much of today’s agriculture is carried on by a migrant population. Labor comes and goes. It is almost adequate in the planning, growing, and harvesting seasons. It changes during the following …
H-2A Agricultural Worker Visa Modernization Joint Cabinet Statement
Secretary Acosta, Secretary Nielsen, Secretary Perdue and Secretary Pompeo When President Trump addressed the American Farm Bureau Federation in January of this year, he reminded the audience that his commitment to our farmers has been clear since the day his Administration began: “From that day on, we have been working every day to deliver for America’s farmers just as they …
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 …
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 …
Reform Needed for Ag Guest Worker Program
Farm groups are pressing lawmakers to reform the ag guest worker program, despite dwindling prospects for such measures, after more sweeping immigration reform failed. The American Farm Bureau Federation, National Pork Producers Council and others had hoped House ag guest worker reform was hitched to a huge spending bill passed in March. But, that bid failed when broader immigration reforms …
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 …
Loss Of Foreign Workers Would Hurt Agriculture
Given a tight labor market, particularly in rural areas, the loss of foreign-born workers would lead to a drop in agricultural jobs, according to a study commissioned by the National Pork Producers Council. Economists with Iowa State University (ISU), using a study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, determined that a reduction in the foreign-born workforce – …
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 …