Labor
Temporary Oregon rule eyes COVID-19 in employer-provided housing, operations
Oregon OSHA has adopted a temporary rule to increase protections for workers against the spread of coronavirus in employer-provided housing and in labor-intensive farm operations. The temporary rule, which takes effect May 11, 2020, addresses... more »
Farmworker housing cuts pursued through emergency rules in Washington state
Many Washington state farmers rely on foreign workers through the federal H-2A work visa program to harvest their crops. However, the Washington State Department of Health and the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) are... more »
Penn State Extension webinar to focus on H-2A in uncertain times
Penn State Extension will present a townhall-style web-based seminar May 7 to assist Pennsylvania agricultural stakeholders who rely on the H-2A visa program for temporary workers to operate their businesses. The session, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., will cover COVID-19... more »
PPE in short supply for farm workers during the COVID-19 crisis
While most Californians are staying home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, California farmers, farmworkers and other agricultural professionals are out in the fields and packing houses working to produce food. [caption id=""... more »
Farm Bureau encourages farmers to participate in USDA labor survey
The American Farm Bureau Federation is urging farmers to respond to a USDA survey about farm workers’ hours and wages. The survey information is used to provide accurate measures of the farm labor force and... more »
$91.8M in funding to assist America’s migrant, seasonal farm workers
The U.S. Department of Labor announced April 13 the availability of up to $91.8 million in grant funding to support the economic stability of farmworkers through the National Farmworker Jobs Program. Overseen by the department’s... more »
Maintain a healthy farm workforce to reduce spread of COVID-19
Maintaining a healthy farm workforce is more important than ever to limit the spread of COVID-19 and to ensure a successful harvest. Farms should continue to enforce food safety best practices already in place, such... more »
H-2A rules to be amended during COVID-19 national emergency
The Department of Homeland Security, with the support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, announced April 15 a temporary final rule to change certain H-2A requirements to help U.S. agricultural employers avoid disruptions in lawful... more »
