Aiming to tackle skyrocketing labor costs, chronic worker shortages and bureaucratic red tape, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson has introduced the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act — a direct response to pleas from specialty crop producers for comprehensive H-2A visa reform.
News of the bill’s introduction broke at the International Fresh Produce Association’s Washington Conference, where IFPA members went to the Hill as the first proponents of this new bill, sharing firsthand accounts of the industry’s unique and systemic labor pressures.
The Packer interviewed Thompson via email to learn more about the bill and what it’s designed to achieve.
“There are many moving pieces when it comes to reforming agricultural labor and the H-2A visa system,” he says. “The bill I’ve been working on came straight from our producers’ mouths — during my travels around the country hosting farm bill listening sessions — access to ag labor and the skyrocketing cost of it was consistently the No. 1 topic brought up by farmers and ranchers.”
To push through partisan gridlock and address the ag labor crisis, Thompson spearheaded the creation of a bipartisan working group in June 2023.
“We took this feedback and formed the Agricultural Labor Working Group last Congress to hear from stakeholders and find some practical policy solutions for our producers,” Thompson says. “The recommendations that came out of this working group form the bulk of the labor bill I’ve been working on. These changes to the H-2A visa program boil down to three main buckets of reform: controlling costs, expanding access, and streamlining the overall process.”
Specialty crop farms have among the highest labor costs in U.S. agriculture, with labor accounting for nearly 40% of total cash expenses, according to IFPA. And in some cases, those labor costs are significantly higher.
IFPA says the H-2A program has grown 185% over the last 10 years, as growers rely more heavily on legal guest workers. And application and compliance costs have increased a substantial 200% in the past three years, adding to the administrative burden in addition to wage and housing requirements.
“Labor is an especially critical component of specialty crop operations due to the perishable nature of their crops,” says Thompson. “Helping our nation’s specialty crop producers gain reliable and timely access to agricultural labor is of the utmost importance to me, and I look forward to seeing legislative movement in this space soon.”
Ag Wage Reform Coalition Praises Act
The Ag Wage Reform Coalition has announced its official support for the newly introduced Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act (SAWA), according to a news release.
Representing a broad network of specialty crop producers, farm employers, and agricultural organizations spanning multiple states, the coalition emphasizes that the proposed legislation directly tackles critical workforce bottlenecks. Industry leaders note that the act arrives at a pivotal moment, aiming to safeguard the long-term viability of highly labor-intensive agricultural sectors, including fresh fruit, vegetable, horticulture and nursery production, which have been severely strained by unstable labor conditions.
For years, growers across the fresh produce supply chain have battled escalating labor costs, crippling workforce shortages, severe administrative delays and a deepening sense of uncertainty surrounding the H-2A guest-worker program, the coalition says. SAWA provides meaningful, structural reforms designed to stabilize wages, streamline bureaucratic delays, and expand vital workforce access. Ultimately, these updates aim to modernize agricultural labor systems, ensuring American growers can stay resilient and globally competitive while preserving domestic food security, the coalition says.
“This legislation represents one of the most comprehensive efforts in decades to modernize agricultural workforce policy,” says Chris Butts, coalition spokesperson and executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. “It reflects many of the recommendations developed through extensive stakeholder discussions and addresses real-world challenges faced by specialty crop producers every day.”
Among the bill’s many provisions supported by the coalition are:
• Expanded access for more workforce availability to meet the year-round needs of today’s diverse agricultural operations that extend beyond traditional seasonal production cycles.
• Streamlined application, certification and hiring processes designed to reduce bureaucratic delays and improve workforce reliability.
• Creation of a single online portal to simplify interactions between employers and federal agencies.
• Multiyear labor certifications and housing inspections that reduce unnecessary administrative burdens.
• Wage reforms that provide greater predictability and stability while continuing to protect workers.
• Clarification of agricultural labor eligibility to better reflect the diversity of modern agriculture.
The coalition adds that without meaningful reform, rising labor costs, labor shortages and regulatory uncertainty will continue to force production offshore, increasing reliance on imported food, and placing additional pressure on family farms and rural communities.
“America’s growers are competing in a global marketplace while producing food under some of the highest labor, environmental and food safety standards in the world,” says Michelle Grainger, executive director of the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission. “A stable, predictable workforce system is essential to maintaining domestic food production, preserving rural jobs and strengthening our nation’s food security.”
The Ag Wage Reform Coalition represents 36 organizations across 9 states, spanning more than 25 agricultural commodities and more than $1 trillion in annual economic impact. Coalition members include national associations, state advocacy organizations and grower groups united around advancing fair, transparent and sustainable agricultural wage reform that supports workers, farmers and U.S. food security.
As Congress begins consideration of the legislation, the coalition encourages lawmakers from both parties to work toward practical solutions that support farmers, farmworkers, consumers and the long-term sustainability of American agriculture.
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