Matt Teagarden agreed to an email Q&A discussion with Progressive Cattle about the ongoing policy debate over immigration and keeping agricultural production staffed during Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) checks at packing plants.

A new guidance by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), lobbied for by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to the president last week, has led to a reversal of raids on ag operations that hired illegal immigrant labor.

The H-2A temporary agricultural workers program isn’t a backup plan anymore – it’s the only legal, reliable and proven labor solution for the modern farmer or rancher. The question is no longer if you’ll use it, but when.

“I think there are plenty of workers who would love to come into the U.S. on a longer term to work in the animal industry,” says Hafliger. He adds, “We need to have a long-term program available. The dairy industry is so technical – with the knowledge required – you don’t want to train a guy and then lose him after three months … I would like to see us develop some kind of [work] visa for a set time – at a minimum, for five years.”

Beef producers face countless obstacles in raising high-quality, nutritious products. Deficiencies, avoidances and half-hearted energies directed toward any management area will result in mediocre performance, reduced profitability at a minimum and financial disaster in the worst cases.

The first three quarters of 2024 saw over 300,000 agricultural workers enter the country through the H-2A program, which provides temporary visas for foreign workers to perform seasonal agricultural jobs. It is an important source of labor in the West, with California and Washington ranking third and fourth in the nation, respectively, for H-2A workers.

Many beef producers use a bull to make sure calves are hitting the ground. However, artificial insemination is a viable option for farmers and ranchers.

As managers of cow-calf production systems, we have available to us many different tools that may be used to accomplish tasks within our operations. Every tool, no matter what type, is designed for a specific purpose.

The use of virtual fence technology using GPS collars with the ability to provide audio and electrical cues may offer an economical management tool to strategically graze areas based on specific land and livestock management objectives.