The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act was introduced in the House on June 30, led by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pennsylvania). The legislation would modernize agricultural workforce policy by updating the H-2A visa program and expanding access beyond seasonal workers.
“The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act represents the most significant reform to the ag workforce we’ve seen in decades,” National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) President and CEO Gregg Doud said in a statement, noting that it is especially critical for dairy farmers who have previously been excluded from participating in the nation’s primary legal agricultural guest worker program due to the year-round nature of dairy farming. “This bill finally grants dairy access to H-2A by removing the seasonal requirements of the program and allowing contracts up to 350 days of the year. Perhaps the most important provision of the bill for dairy beyond providing access is the targeted mechanism to provide the current dairy workforce a means to transition to a workable visa program. This will ensure that we don’t face a workforce disruption [during the transition].”
Key provisions include:
- Replacing the restrictive seasonal standard with a broader temporary labor standard that better accommodates year-round agriculture
- Expanding access to legal agricultural workers
- Bringing greater certainty to the Adverse Effect Wage Rate
- Modernizing the H-2A application process through a one-stop online portal
- Protecting the experienced agricultural employees and their employers during the transition into the H-2A program
Thompson notes that the legislation is the product of the bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group he established in 2023 to develop recommendations for modernizing the agricultural workforce system with input from farmers during his 160 farm bill listening sessions across 43 states and one U.S. territory.
“This is a bill written by agricultural stakeholders for agricultural stakeholders,” Thompson said in a statement.
Several lawmakers, including Rep. Josh Riley (D-New York), said labor continues to be one of dairy farmers’ greatest concerns.
“When I visit our dairy farms and ask what keeps them up at night, the answer I get the most is that our immigration system is completely broken,” Riley said. “It’s hurting our dairy farms who can’t get access to the labor they need.”
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall echoed their sentiments, adding that the lack of available labor is among the largest limiting factors of American agriculture.
“Most Americans don’t want to work on farms,” Duvall said in a statement. “If Americans won’t apply for these jobs, we have no other choice but to depend on the H-2A program. Unfortunately, the current guest working program is inadequate to meet the demands on farms across the country.”
Other industry organizations also shared their support for the bill, including International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) President and CEO Michael Dykes who says modernizing the program moves the needle in the right direction by strengthening the dairy supply chain.
“Dairy farms and processors alike operate year-round and need access to a reliable workforce,” Dykes said in a statement. “Although dairy processors also need reforms that offer workforce support, the Securing Agriculture Workforce Act better positions all of U.S. dairy to ensure families continue to have access to nutritious dairy products.”
American Dairy Coalition (ADC) CEO Laurie Fischer says this is a major milestone for dairy farmers who have been awaiting workforce policy reform.
“[Dairy farms that operate year-round] need year-round employees for hard-to-fill jobs requiring continuity of skilled animal care, handling and milking,” Fischer said in a statement. “This legislation finally recognizes that reality. Multigenerational family dairies that rely on additional employees for daily tasks will have options and workable solutions under this bill.”
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative President Heidi Fischer agrees that this is an “encouraging milestone” in updating and streamlining dairy workforce reform.
“We believe the need for workforce reform is a food security issue and ultimately, a national security issue,” Fischer said in a statement. “Food security is dependent on a reliable, skilled and safe workforce that harvest crops, care for livestock and process the food to keep American families fed. It is heartening to see this introduction.”
