Oct 17, 2025

AEWR labor coalition recommends Washington lawmakers help growers

As Washington searches for ways to keep the lights on, the AEWR Agricultural Labor Coalition says the same urgency should be applied to America’s farms.

Up to 34 farm and agribusiness groups are calling for permanent labor wage rate reform.

As Congress moves to end the budget standoff that shuttered the federal government, farmers are asking for similar urgency to address another recurring crisis: the broken system governing agricultural labor and wage rates, according to a news release.

The recent Department of Labor’s (DOL) recent interim final rule on the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) marks the first meaningful step in years toward stabilizing labor costs for farm employers. The new rule replaces decades-old calculations with state-level Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data and accounts for skill levels and employer-provided housing costs. The result, the release says, is a fairer, market-based system that supports a more equitable food system, more jobs, more land in production and more affordable food.

“This proves that federal government agencies and cabinet can provide solution driven results for constituents, but Congress must also act to make things more permanent so farms and ranches can plan and future proof their organizations as the business and trade continues to shift,” said Michelle Grainger, executive director of the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission, speaking for the coalition. “We applaud the current work to get this far, but we can’t run farms or feed families on short-term fixes that change with every administration.”

Uncertainty ahead

Over the past three years, growers have faced labor-cost spikes exceeding 30% in some regions, leading to cutbacks in planting, offshoring of production and higher consumer prices. The new rule replaces the outdated USDA Farm Labor Survey with the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) system, setting two skill-based wage levels and applying an “adverse-compensation adjustment” for housing and other mandatory employer costs.

“This decision finally acknowledges the economic realities we’ve been warning about, and the entire coalition would like to thank the Trump administration for these first positive steps toward change,” Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, said in the release. “But just as Congress can’t govern by continuing resolution, farmers can’t plan by interim rule. We need predictability, not politics, to guide labor policy.”

The coalition draws a direct parallel between the consequences of a government shutdown and the uncertainty created by temporary labor regulations. Both undermine confidence, stall investment and risk long-term damage to national interests, according to the release.

A call for permanent reform

The coalition urges Congress to codify a long-term, market-based AEWR framework that provides certainty for growers while continuing to protect U.S. workers. This would allow producers to plan for inputs, crop rotations and trade commitments years in advance, restoring stability to rural communities that form the backbone of the national economy.

“We applaud the leadership at USDA and DOL for responding to years of advocacy,” Jamie Clover-Adams, executive director of the Michigan Asparagus Association, said in the release. “But relief shouldn’t depend on who’s in office. It should depend on sound economics and the shared goal of keeping America’s farms productive and competitive.”

The AEWR Agricultural Labor Coalition represents 34 organizations from seven states, including two national associations, seven state advocacy groups and more than 25 crops. The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) and the National Council of Agriculture Employers (NCAE) are the national groups.

Together, the organizations account for more than $824 billion in agricultural economic impact and support over 6 million jobs across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas. The coalition advocates for a stable, market-based agricultural workforce and long-term policies that safeguard rural livelihoods and the nation’s food independence.