Labor
For growers using H-2A labor, housing tops difficulties
Growers using the H-2A visa program for seasonal labor say it’s working, but among the program’s most difficult rules are its housing requirements. At a panel discussion at the Northwest Michigan Orchard and Vineyard Show... more »
Seeing eye to eye with inspectors
In establishing relationships with Department of Labor (DOL) investigators, there is a fine line between being cooperative and being walked on. That is the message shared by Ann Margaret Pointer, attorney with Fisher & Phillips... more »
Western Growers formally oppose Goodlatte guest worker plan
The Western Growers Board of Directors recently voted to formally oppose House Resolution 4760, which would reform agricultural labor. Sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Virginia, the resolution would create a new guest worker program, H-2C, for... more »
Economist: Farm operators scramble to secure labor
Editor's note: This is part of a series of stories examining agriculture labor issues in 2018. The agriculture community is being impacted by the four S's: satisfy, stretching, substitution and supplementing, according to an agriculture... more »
H-2A struggles to keep up with grower demand
H-2A, the country’s agricultural guest-worker program, continues to grow. According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the number of H-2A workers jumped from 77,246 to 165,741 between 2011 and 2016. Since 2001, there’s been... more »
States find ways to deal with labor shortages
It’s hard to know the exact number of seasonal specialty crop workers in the United States, but Frank Gasperini thinks 1.5 million is a good estimate. Seasonal worker shortages have been an issue in the... more »
Effective management is key during labor uncertainty
University of California Cooperative Extension will hold workshops in Temecula Feb. 1 and 2 to help California farmers facing agriculture labor challenges stemming from wage and hour laws, joint liability, worker protection, workers' compensation, insurance... more »
Legislators introduce Family Farm Relief Act
Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Congressman Chris Collins (R-NY) have introduced the Family Farm Relief Act of 2017, legislation to move the H-2A Agricultural Visa program from the Department of Labor to the Department of... more »
Court stops Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime regulations
A Texas federal court granted a nationwide emergency injunction prohibiting the implementation of the final Fair Labor Standards Act regulations that essentially doubled the current minimum annual salary level for exemption from $23,660 to $47,476... more »
H-2A wage rates projected for 2017
The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has released core data that will be used to calculate the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for 2017. The AEWR in Washington and Oregon will likely rise 5.44 percent... more »
