Members of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture have encouraged federal agencies to develop strategies that address agricultural labor shortages across the country.
The recommendation was made at the group’s 2024 Winter Policy Conference, according to a news release. The action item aims to encourage the USDA, the Department of Labor and the Department of Homeland Security to immediately collaborate on a strategy to secure the labor force and ensure the success of the nation’s agricultural industry.
NASDA also is urging Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform to ease agricultural workforce challenges, the release said.
“Labor shortages in the agricultural industry affect the entire supply chain, making it more difficult for the country to compete in the global marketplace and threatening our overall food and national security,” NASDA CEO Ted McKinney said in the release. “With many changes in wage rates and proposed regulations in the past few months and years, NASDA members are navigating this issue in their states as farmers and ranchers operate in a complex regulatory environment.
“Our producers need federal agencies who oversee the H-2A and H-2B process, specifically the Department of Labor and Department of Homeland Security, to work collaboratively with USDA to develop a long-term strategy for addressing these challenges,” McKinney added.
Read more about NASDA’s work to seek labor reform at nasda.org.
