Industry leaders to tackle ag labor topics at forum

Attendees at the National Council of Agricultural Employers’ (NCAE) 2025 Ag Employer Labor Forum will hear from leaders of two federal agencies that deal with ag labor issues.

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer and USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden have confirmed their participation in the forum, scheduled for Dec. 3-5 at the M Resort near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ag labor leaders and legal experts will unpack complex regulatory and legislative topics at the event. The first day’s sessions will highlight what’s next for ag employers, according to a news release.

Sessions will include “Canaries in the Coal Mine” session, moderated by Ryan Ayres, director of human resources for FirstFruits Farms, and “Going on Offense,” hosted by Joel Anderson, NCAE executive committee chair and owner of Anderson Immigration Law. Anderson will be joined by Kimberly Hermann, president of Southeastern Legal Foundation, to map out a proactive litigation strategy for farmers and ranchers.

The second-day marquee session, “Eye of the Storm,” will examine DOL’s recently announced Interim Final Rule (IFR). A panel featuring the following speakers will offer national expertise and insights:

• Samantha Ayoub, American Farm Bureau Federation
• Jamie Fussell, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA)
• Alexandra E. Hill, University of California, Berkeley
• Chris Schulte, Fisher Phillps
• Phil Martin, University of California, Davis
• Shawn Packer, JPH Law

The session will dissect the impact of DOL’s Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) and its Interim Final Rule (IFR) regulation. Published in October, the IFR modifies the methodology used to calculate the AEWR. DOL estimated the new methodology will save American farmers and ranchers $2.46 billion and $17.29 billion over 10 years.

“We are incredibly proud that the regulatory community understands how critical it is to have their participation at this event,” Michael Marsh, NCAE’s president and CEO, said in the release. “America’s farmers and ranchers deserve an engaged community of regulators and policy makers, and we are thrilled to provide this opportunity to our Labor Forum attendees so they can do just that.”