The Clock is Ticking for Specialty Crop Growers

My family’s fourth-generation farm has been growing asparagus in West Michigan for decades, but that could soon be changing.

Simply put, there are too many hurdles that block my path to growing this nutritious crop efficiently and sustainably.

The two largest hurdles are surging foreign imports from Mexico and Peru, and disastrous U.S. labor policies. These problems have led many of my neighbors – as well as other farmers across the nation – to stop growing specialty crops, which include fruits, vegetables and nuts, and some other commodities not covered under current farm safety net programs.

First, foreign competitors in the fresh fruit and vegetable sector have slowly encroached on our domestic markets, squeezing out U.S. farmers. The U.S. imports 60% of our fresh fruit and 40% of our fresh vegetables and the numbers are climbing. My family farm simply cannot continue to grow asparagus without relief from the market pressures of underpriced, subsidized imported asparagus being sold in our own backyard. Enhancements to U.S. trade law, or other stopgap remedies, must be advanced.

On top of that, recent changes requiring payment of non-farm wages to farm employees are taking a devastating toll on my family’s livelihood.

We employ around 70 guestworkers through the H-2A visa program to pick asparagus in the spring. We rely on these workers and appreciate them. Frankly, we couldn’t farm without them in light of the labor shortage. But the red tape and unrealistic requirements our government has wrapped around the program are forcing many of us to reconsider using it, which forces a more consequential assessment of how we can continue farming.

A federal wage formula called the Adverse Effect Wage Rate sets mandatory wages and is sending them sky high on a year-over-year basis. Our finances just can’t keep up with that. I expect to pay an additional $75,000 in labor costs in 2024. That’s after a 15% increase in 2023… and another sizable one in 2022.

In fact, compared to just eight years ago, our farm is paying an additional $400,000 for the same hourly labor. Other farmers across the country are also facing dramatic increases in labor costs. That’s just not sustainable.

Labor costs have skyrocketed, while fresh asparagus revenues have been stagnant or decreased during this same period, even before accounting for inflation. We cannot raise prices to account for the increased cost and decreased margins because of the import pressure.

It’s worth noting that the recent change to federal rules is just one of eight rulemakings in the last 18 months to directly affect agricultural employers. We’re facing an avalanche of unclear government mandates and red tape.