The Latest Salvo on Farm Labor Is a Work in Progress
June 28, 2021 The never-ending story of sourcing agricultural labor and its challenges (or immigration reform) didn’t end with the change in presidential administration. That’s no surprise and has always been the case with the issue that is passed like a hot potato from the party in power to the next.
But President Biden put the issue in the spotlight during his joint address to Congress in late April, if only briefly in his comments. He urged lawmakers to pass his immigration reform proposal released in the early days of his administration but steered clear of the recent surge of migrants crossing into the country and actions, or lack thereof, to secure the border without proper documentation. And the proposal would provide a pathway to citizenship for 11 million people who are now in the country.
It seems the momentum for moving the proverbial needle could be mired in politics like in the past. United Fresh commented cautiously on Biden’s joint address. Senior Vice President, Public Policy Robert L. Guenther from the association released the following statement.
“United Fresh Produce Association and its members thank President Biden for his leadership in recognizing the grave importance of reforming our immigration laws as they relate to our agricultural workforce. By raising the importance of passing the agricultural immigration reform during his address to the nation, President Biden has made it crystal clear that this issue, which has vexed agriculture for decades, can and must be addressed immediately by the U. S. Senate in the same bipartisan manner that enabled it to pass the House of Representatives. United Fresh looks forward to continuing to work with the Biden administration and the Congress to have meaningful immigration reform signed into law this year.”
In March, the president released a statement on the Farm Modernization Workforce Act, which the House passed. In it, he noted: “Farmworkers are vital to the wellbeing of our country and our economy. For generations, America’s farmworkers — many of whom are undocumented — have worked countless hours to feed our nation and ensure our communities are healthy and strong. This has been even more clear and crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, as farmworkers have put their lives and the lives of their loved ones on the line to ensure that families across the country have food on the table. This is why I support the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 and celebrate its passage. The act will deliver the lawful status and better working conditions that this critical workforce deserves, as well as much needed stability for farmers, growers, and the entire agriculture industry.”
Labor Secretary Marty Walsh reiterated the president’s support of the act during a recent virtual event surrounding labor where he noted: “He [Biden] supports the Farm Workforce Modernization Act to reform the guest worker program. We need to improve the H-2A program to increase protections to farm workers and prevent abuses.”
Do those reforms make sourcing H-2A labor easier or harder? It is a program with a lot of costs and red tape for the growers who currently use it. But many here in Florida and elsewhere do so because it is a reliable source of good labor. We should provide protections for farmworkers, but also work to ensure our crops and food supply are harvested.
The Farm Modernization Workforce Act is under negotiation in the Senate, but Republicans and Democrats have differing points of view and are sorting out the details. Will the bill stall? If history repeats itself on the immigration front, probably so. Either way, our need to grow and harvest crops to feed the nation will not change.
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