A group of 84 federal lawmakers, led by U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and Representative Ralph Norman (R-S.C.-5), has sent a letter to Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer calling for the Department of Labor to repeal certain Biden-era regulations affecting American farmers. The lawmakers argue that recent changes have increased the complexity and costs associated with the H-2A visa program, which is widely used by agricultural producers to secure labor.
In their letter, the members outlined several challenges facing rural communities, including high input costs, a growing trade deficit, and ongoing recovery from natural disasters. They emphasized that access to a reliable agricultural workforce remains a significant issue threatening the future of American agriculture.
The lawmakers wrote:
“As we continue our work during the 119th Congress here in our nation’s capital, it has been made abundantly clear that farmers continue to face serious challenges back home. Our rural communities have long shown resilience in the face of daunting circumstances and have a proven track record of overcoming various difficulties to get food on the table. Today, they face a number of issues, including high input costs, a widening trade deficit, and a long road to recovery after recent natural disasters. On top of these hardships, the ongoing shortage of a reliable agricultural workforce remains a paramount concern that threatens the future of American agriculture.
“While consistent access to agricultural labor has always been difficult, the Biden Administration further complicated this issue by applying a series of rules that fundamentally altered the implementation of the H-2A visa program and the methodology used to determine the Adverse Effective Wage Rate (AEWR). These changes placed a significant burden on American farmers by further increasing farm labor wages. Your team at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has recognized the impact of these policies and taken important steps to address them. We commend your efforts, particularly with the recent progress in halting enforcement of the Biden Administration’s farm labor unionization rule and advancing a proposal to rescind provisions within it […]
“Enforcement of this rule directly contributes to higher food costs for all Americans. Last Congress, various congressional colleagues helped in leading a bicameral resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act to protect producers from this rule. Unfortunately, the rule was still finalized, which has caused unnecessary and burdensome cost increases for our nation’s farmers. We encourage you to fully rescind this out-of-touch rule to create more pragmatic labor wages for America’s farmers.
“The Trump Administration has a unique opportunity to bring long-overdue clarity and stability to agricultural labor policy. As you continue your service as Secretary of Labor, we respectfully urge you to not only push back against the Biden Administration’s harmful rules, but also to work collaboratively with your colleagues in President Trump’s Cabinet and in Congress to make the H-2A visa program more accessible and flexible for all producers, and to reform the AEWR methodology to prevent unsustainable wage increases. We stand ready to partner with you and your team at the DOL to find practical, long-term solutions to these pressing challenges.”
The lawmakers’ request follows concerns among farming communities about rising production expenses tied partly to regulatory changes under current administration policies regarding farm labor programs such as H-2A.
To read more or view all signatories on this letter visit HERE.
