H2A

H2A

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
With all the turmoil at the border regarding immigration, amnesty, the war of words between the president and everybody or anybody who will take him on, it's easy to forget the importance of foreign workers to our south to agriculture in the form of the H2A program. This program is a lifeblood to so many agricultural producers but red tape is a major stumbling block. As we are about to find out, the Labor Department has announced plans to modernize this long-time guest worker agricultural labor program.

The long talked about reform to our nation's H2A guest worker agricultural labor programs received proposed rules to modernize H2A. There is an attempt at streamlining and simplifying the application process, as well as various regulations within the H2A program. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in California, when the proposed H2A modernization was announced, had this to say.

"We've been working with Department of Labor for over a year now and trying to help the H2A program become more workable. Actually it has been very onerous, very inflexible and very difficult for these growers to comply with all the rules and regulations. You have to tell them exactly what day a worker is going to be needed. It may be ready two weeks earlier, two weeks late, and you're left with people either not having work to do or hanging around waiting for something to happen."

The secretary adds that USDA's farmers.gov web portal will have H2A applications available to growers. With one field application sent to both the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security.

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