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Farmers who use the H-2A guest worker program are facing COVID-19-related delays in the processing and approval of those workers.

Democratic lawmakers, Farmworker Justice and the Environmental Working Group are pushing for new federal protections for farm and food workers in the next coronavirus stimulus legislation.

U.S. representative Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., whose district includes Salinas and other fresh produce growing areas, has invited a farmworker as guest to the State of the Union address.

Germany may lose up to a third of its seasonal agricultural workers in the wake of reports that it has closed its borders with Bulgaria and Romania.

The Department of State is taking steps to reduce delays in the processing of H-2A workers caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

A lack of labor interest and potential legal and political factors limit the potential of turning to a “gig economy” to decreasing food waste from produce farms.

Another mandated increase in H-2A guest farmworker wage rates has made Congressional action on farm labor reform even more critical, according to the Agriculture Workforce Coalition.

Farm labor legislation remains on the back-burner in the Senate, but one advocate hopes to see action by March.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 22 which puts a 60-day pause on immigration into the U.S.

LAS VEGAS — Election-year politics will present a big challenge to reform efforts for H-2A regulations, but growers must be prepared to lobby for changes in the increasingly important farm labor program.