Year in Produce No. 10 — November elections
Bringing some hope for immigration reform but angst over the potential for increased regulations, Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump heralds a new era for produce industry priorities in the next four years.
With a reshuffling of agriculture committee leadership in the House and Senate and the return of Tom Vilsack to the role of Secretary of Agriculture, industry advocates say there is reason to hope. Two runoff elections in Georgia in January will determine which party will control the Senate, with industry observers saying continued Republican control may tone down the progressive ambitions of President Biden.
While President Trump was broadly supported by a decisive majority of produce marketers, his record was a “mixed bag” for agriculture producers.
While his anti-regulation stance won him strong support, his trade policies with China and other countries resulted in reduced exports for specialty crop growers.
There are hopes the Biden administration will continue to support farm bill programs important to the industry, trade policies that boost exports and immigration reform that could benefit growers.
Michael Marsh, CEO of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, said that the 117th Congress will see a reintroduction of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which passed the House of Representatives in 2019.
“Most of the Republicans that were co-sponsors and are supporters are back, so we would hope that they would continue to support immigration reform,” he said.
“On the Senate side, we’re also hopeful that we can work with the members of the Senate to craft it, perhaps a more employer friendly version of what we got in the House so that when you get into conference, hopefully we come up with a bill that works for the farm workers as well as the employers, and, of course, ensures national security.”
Dec. 9
Report: Vilsack to return as Agriculture Secretary
By Tom Karst
In a pick criticized by environmental groups but supported by produce advocates, president-elect Joe Biden has reportedly chosen former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to return to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The 69-year-old former governor of Iowa led the USDA under president Barack Obama between 2008-2016.
Vilsack participated in the United Fresh Produce Association’s Washington Conference Sept. 23 as an advocate for Biden. At the virtual event, Vilsack said Biden would support immigration reform that would provide agriculture with a safe and legal workforce. Vilsack also said a Biden administration would take steps to protect soil and water and seek to reduce disruptions to agriculture caused by climate change.
“United Fresh is pleased to see Secretary Vilsack return to USDA,” Tom Stenzel, United Fresh CEO, said in a statement. “Under his steady leadership we worked together to further the gains of the industry and broaden access to fresh fruits and vegetables, particularly for children.”
Nov. 12
Leaders look to new political era, hope for immigration reform
By Tom Karst
At the threshold of a new administration led by President-elect Joe Biden, industry lobbyists speaking at The Packer’s West Coast Produce Expo on Nov. 12 gave their best hopes for a Democrat-led White House.
Issues that are important to the industry include immigration reform, expanded trade and continuing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is too early, industry leaders said, to predict how Biden will approach those challenges, and if he will be successful.
Rearview mirror
President Trump brought uneven results for the industry in trade and immigration issues, said Dave Puglia, president and CEO of Western Growers.
Western Growers hopes the next president will “lead the way to that elusive victory that we’ve been seeking for so long that will provide us a stable workforce,” which Puglia said will be built on improving the H-2A program and also providing a legal pathway to existing undocumented workers.
Puglia said he hopes Biden will drive momentum for immigration towards the political center. Known as a moderate for most of a Senate career that began at age 29, Biden may have an opportunity to accomplish it, he said.
“He has an opportunity, if he chooses to take it, at least on the issues around immigration, (and) run to the center,” he said. “That would be our greatest hope.”
