Agricultural Labor Reform Can’t Wait

By Zippy Duvall

Over the years, I’ve visited with farmers and ranchers in nearly every corner of the country. One concern comes up over and over: the need for agricultural labor reform.

Farmers need people who are willing and able to come alongside side them in the hard work of producing the food, fuel and fiber that American families depend on. But finding skilled, reliable workers has become increasingly difficult, and the H-2A program doesn’t meet the needs of agriculture.

This issue is personal for me. My family made the difficult decision to step away from dairy farming years ago, and labor challenges played a big role in that decision. The fact that farmers are being forced to change crops or shutdown their farms due to a shortage of workers is why agricultural labor reform has been a top priority during my time as president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Agriculture needs leaders who are willing to tackle tough issues. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “G.T.” Thompson has been a champion for farmers across the country on this issue, and his introduction of the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act is an important step forward. I was proud to stand alongside Chairman Thompson this week as he introduced this bill and brought together farmers, ranchers and agricultural leaders to highlight the need for meaningful labor reform.