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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Saturday, April 27, 2024
The Labor Department has finalized a series of new protections for H-2A employees, including a right to participate in advocacy efforts over working conditions and restrictions on when workers can be fired for cause. A leading industry group denounced the regulations as "offensive" and "developed in bad faith."
Some 16 Republican senators are calling on congressional leaders to move legislation that would freeze the adverse effect wage rate for H-2A workers at 2023 levels.
With farmers continuing to struggle across the country to find workers, 30 House members from across the political spectrum are appealing to leaders of the House Agriculture Committee today to ensure the next farm bill includes new funding for research and development into mechanizing and automating the production of specialty crops.
Farmers and ranchers would like to see increased crop insurance subsidies and commodity price supports in the new farm bill, and a strong majority support cutting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, according to an exclusive Agri-Pulse producer poll.
On to New Hampshire. Former President Donald Trump was the runaway winner of the Iowa Republican caucuses yesterday evening, demonstrating he maintains a strong hold on Republicans in that state and in rural areas particularly.
Rep. Austin Scott, the Georgia Republican who chairs the House Agriculture subcommittee that oversees commodity programs, says it’s time to split the farm bill.
Farmers who intend to use H-2A workers in 2024 will have to offer pay raises of up to 7%, according to an American Farm Bureau Federation analysis of the USDA farm labor report on which the wage rates are based.
Agricultural entities have questioned the legal authority of two H-2A proposals that they say would dramatically alter the current employer-employee relationship and drive up costs.
Rep. Dan Newhouse, a moderate House Republican and congressional leader on ag and immigration policy, said Friday he wants to hear from the speaker candidates how they plan to move a farm bill as well as appropriations and other legislation.
