Labor
The produce industry is grappling with a critical labor shortage and the escalating costs of the H-2A program, which are squeezing margins for growers, packers and shippers. Increasing regulatory pressures, such as new state-level overtime laws and wage mandates, are further driving the sector toward automation and legislative advocacy. This collection of insights explores how to optimize labor management and maintain operational efficiency in an increasingly complex landscape.
Launching Engagement 2.0, the program says these updates support suppliers and growers in adopting more responsible labor practices.
Nico Cabral, director of marketing for labor management software company FieldClock, discusses how simple efficiency tweaks through the use of technology can have a big impact on a farm’s bottom line.
A shrinking labor pool is already having an impact, and ag experts say it’s only going to get tougher.
Protestors clashed with federal agents performing immigration enforcement raids in the agricultural areas of Southern California.
In a letter addressed to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, the organization asks the USDA to review allegations that farmworkers were coerced into signing union cards in exchange for grant money.
From SNAP benefit reform and fraud crackdown to the continuation of mass deportations with “no amnesty,” here’s how the USDA’s newly launched National Farm Security Action Plan may impact the fresh produce industry.
Washington and Oregon producers hope to avoid disruptions related to immigration enforcement.
This new department will be effective immediately and will provide strategic oversight and resource management for immigration-related work and will coordinate with other relevant federal agencies.
Farmworkers say colleagues choose not to return to fields out of fear saying, “If they show up to work, they don’t know if they will ever see their family again.”
Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer says she plans to work with other federal agencies to develop an emergency agency to process the backlog of H-2A applications.
Seven new members across different sectors — ag, sustainability, ethical sourcing, labor rights and consumer engagement — joined the board June 25.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says the administration plans to announce some updates soon to make the guestworker program more efficient and easier to use.
The organization says the Department of Labor suspended enforcement of the rule following legal challenges.
The on-again, off-again reports regarding ICE raids is sowing confusion for those who rely on immigrant labor and causing labor shortages because employees aren’t showing up for work.
As the Adverse Effect Wage Rate continues to climb year after year for the H-2A guestworker program with little clarity on how the USDA calculates the rates, organizations are saying, “enough is enough.”
Equitable Food Initiative has launched a toolkit full of ready-to-use materials for Pollinator Week, June 16-22.
Technology’s impact on fresh produce isn’t only about making a change; it’s continued improvement.
It’s critical that ag employers take a closer look at documents employees supplied at time of hire to assess the potential risk of an ICE inspection.
Joe Del Bosque, CEO of Del Bosque Farms in Firebaugh, Calif., spoke with Michelle Rook of AgriTalk Radio earlier today to discuss how the U.S. government’s immigration crackdown is impacting California farmers.
It’s important to have a plan in place before it’s too late, said Vanessa Frank, an immigration attorney working in Ventura County, Calif.
After a week of ICE seemingly targeting dairy farms, California produce farms and a meat packing plant in Nebraska, President Donald Trump is reportedly ordering the Department of Homeland Security to exclude farms from immigration raids.
From families broken to rising food prices to reduced access to fresh food and food waste, the ripple effect of Trump’s immigration crackdown on agriculture could be far reaching, says the Emerald Packaging CEO.
Katie and Manuel Vargas, sixth-generation apple growers in Michigan, share the challenge their family faces with rising cost of labor.
There are no policy changes under way to exempt farm, hotel and other leisure workers from President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, the Washington Post reported on Friday, a day after the U.S. president vowed to issue an order for such workers.
While the president didn’t share any specific details on future plans, produce industry organizations say it’s a step in the right direction.
With the goal of delivering top-quality grapes to consumers, Sun World International has formed a strategic partnership with Clarifresh, to use its AI-powered quality management software for fresh food.
President Donald Trump said he would issue an order to address the effects of the immigration crackdown on farm workers but did not specify what changes would be implemented.
In its first program report, participants show strengths in occupational safety and health but seek to develop better communication and worker protections.
The organization said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents attempted to enter a local packing facility without a warrant, conducted operations in agriculture fields and initiated vehicle stops on roads used by agricultural workers.
While there has been plenty of talk in Washington about sovling lingering labor challenges, industry leaders are calling for real progress to alleviate the burden on growers.