Oct 31, 2025

NCAE ag labor forum sessions announced

The National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE) has announced the lineup of thought leaders, economists and ag labor legal experts for its “Eye of the Storm: Investigating the IFR for American Ag” session at its upcoming ag labor forum.

Scheduled for Dec. 4 at NCAE’s Dec. 3-5 Ag Employer Labor Forum, the session will bring together a panel with national expertise and insights, including:

• Jamie Fussell, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association director of labor relations
• Alexandra Hill, University of California, Berkeley, assistant professor 
• Chris Schulte, Fisher Phillps partner
• Phil Martin, University of California, Davis, professor emeritus of agricultural and resource economics 
• Shawn Packer, JPH Law partner

The panel is scheduled to unpack the impact of the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) Interim Final Rule (IFR) and provide thoughts about what the future holds for the IFR and American agriculture. 

The IFR, published on Oct. 2, modifies the methodology used to calculate the AEWR. DOL estimated the new methodology will save American farmers and ranchers $2.46 billion in its first year of implementation and $17.29 billion over 10 years.

“In many ways, farmers and ranchers are currently in the proverbial eye of the storm when it comes to the future of their farming operations,” Michael Marsh, NCAE’s president and CEO, said in a news release. “For years, America’s farm and ranch families have had to contend with artificial, out-of-control mandated wage rates that were manufactured by regulatory maladministration and disconnected from the market. For years, NCAE has fought to end this regulatory recklessness that caused increasing numbers of farmers and ranchers to shutter legacy operations, sell farmland, and offshore production.”

While the IFR has provided much of the agricultural community overdue relief from out-of-control AEWRs, the storm has yet to pass and the fight for regulatory relief in rural America is far from over, Marsh said in the release. 

NCAE hosted its largest-ever members-only H-2A committee call following the publication of the IFR, with questions about how the IFR works and what it may mean for the future of American agriculture remaining top-of-mind for the entire agricultural community, he said in the release.

“NCAE is excited to host a great group of economists, legal experts and agricultural thought leaders who will lead attendees through a deep dive of the IFR, the IFR’s possible future challenges and what this new regulation may mean for their farm and America’s farming future,” Marsh said in the release. “This marquee session stands out as a must-attend conversation for agricultural professionals who are eager to stay ahead and peek around the corner at the future for American agriculture. Together, we will prepare to weather the regulatory storms which will follow.”

Along with the panel discussion on the IFR, NCAE has developed new programming for the forum tailored to the needs of and suited for farmers and ranchers, office managers, personnel managers, service providers, farm labor contractors, agricultural agents, attorneys, and other stakeholders interested in agricultural labor.

This year’s speakers will tackle a diverse range of topics during general sessions and breakout sessions, including:

• Litigation strategy for agricultural employers
• Employer best practices for encountering domestic enforcement
• Must-knows for farm labor contractors
• An interactive compliance workshop
• H-2A taxes clinic
• Out-of-control state regulations review