Hundreds of agricultural groups urge passage of workforce act

The International Fresh Produce Association joined more than 450 agricultural organizations in a letter calling for the swift passage of H.R. 9535, the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act (SAWA).

The legislation was introduced in July by House Agriculture Committee chair Glenn “GT” Thompson.

The bill represents the first statutory reform to the H-2A program that allows non-immigrant foreign workers to perform temporary agricultural jobs in the U.S. when domestic workers are unavailable in 40 years.

“The need to implement SAWA is urgent, and the cost of inaction is high,” the letter (.pdf) reads in part. “The continued and irreversible loss of American farms has and will continue to depress the economies of rural communities across the nation, while straining the United States’ ability to feed itself — a national security risk exemplified by recent supply chain disruptions. Rural and urban communities across the country simply cannot afford to have Congress kick the can down the road again.”

SAWA addresses labor challenges through three main pillars:

• Expanding access: The bill removes the requirement that agricultural work must be seasonal. It retains the temporary designation, defining it as a job contract of 350 days or less. Additionally, it updates what qualifies as “agricultural labor or services” and transfers the authority to further refine that definition to the Secretary of Agriculture.
• Controlling costs: The legislation codifies recent reforms to the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) methodology and simplifies overall program requirements.
• Streamlining operations: The bill requires federal agencies to build a unified online platform to ensure timely communication and tracking for employers. It clearly outlines agency roles to eliminate regulatory duplication and offers flexibility to accommodate diverse production needs while maintaining rules-based standards.

Signatories of the Aug. 10 letter include the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Hort, the U.S. Apple Association, the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association and the National Potato Council (NPC).

In a statement, Dean Gibson, NPC vice president of legislative affairs, urged growers to contact their representatives to voice support for the legislation.

“H-2A reform is long overdue and helps American farmers stay in business through common sense improvements,” Gibson said. “Now — while they are at home in their districts — is the time to contact your representative and tell them that we need their support on this critical legislation.”