Long awaited labor reform drops today, revives H-2A and immigration debate

House Ag Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) will reportedly introduce new legislation today aimed at overhauling the nation’s agricultural labor system.

So far the expanded H-2A worker availability portion of the bill is drawing strong support from farm organizations while also garnering opposition from immigration advocacy groups over provisions tied to border enforcement and worker eligibility.

The proposal, known as the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act (SAWA), seeks to address chronic labor shortages facing specialty crop producers by reforming the H-2A guest worker program, expanding access to foreign-derived agricultural labor and reducing program documentation burdens for employers. Thompson has said the legislation was developed following extensive feedback from growers, who consistently identified worker availability and rising labor costs as challenges.

According to Thompson, the bill sets out to accomplish three primary goals:

• Controlling labor and compliance costs.
• Expanding access to legal foreign agricultural workers.
• Streamlining the H-2A application and approval process.

Groups including the International Fresh Produce Association and the Ag Wage Reform Coalition said the proposal would help bring down escalating H-2A costs, labor shortages and administrative challenges.

Western Growers President and CEO Dave Puglia issued a statement in support of SAWA after its release:

“Fresh produce growers in California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico have relied on the H-2A program out of necessity, but the program has not kept pace with the realities of modern agriculture,” Puglia wrote. “It remains too difficult and expensive for many farmers who depend on it for access to a legal and reliable workforce. More predictable wages are essential to keeping American agriculture strong and fresh produce affordable for consumers.”

Several farmworker and immigrant advocacy organizations criticized the proposal, arguing it places too much emphasis on immigration enforcement with insufficient protections and long-term certainty for farm workers. Skeptics also expressed concerns about provisions affecting worker eligibility and legal status, saying any agricultural labor reform should include stronger pathways for experienced farmworkers already employed in U.S. agriculture.

Use of the H-2A program has expanded rapidly over the past decade as domestic farm labor has become increasingly difficult to secure, while growers cite rising wages, housing costs and regulatory requirements as significant financial pressures.

Whether the proposal can attract sufficient bipartisan support remains uncertain, but it is expected to become a focal point in ongoing discussions over agricultural workforce policy and broader immigration reform.