The U.S. Administration and the Departments of State, Agriculture, Labor, and Homeland Security have committed to addressing the challenges of the temporary agricultural labor programs. 

"Our Departments are working in coordination to propose streamlining, simplifying, and improving the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program – reducing cumbersome bureaucracy and ensuring adequate protections for U.S. workers," they said.

A statement said: "The Trump Administration is committed to modernizing the H-2A visa program rules in a way that is responsive to stakeholder concerns and that deepens our confidence in the program as a source of legal and verified labor for agriculture – while  also reinforcing the program’s strong employment and wage protections for the American workforce."

"In addition, by improving the H-2A visa program and substantially reducing its complexity, the Administration also plans to incentivize farmers’ use of the E-Verify program to ensure their workforce is authorized to work in the United States."

Tom Stenzel, president and CEO of the United Fresh Produce Association, welcomed the announcement.

"The fruit and vegetable industry is highly dependent on our workforce in order to sustain and grow our industry to meet increasing demand for fresh fruits and vegetables," he said.

"United Fresh has been in constant dialogue with Congress, the Administration and other stakeholders to convey that the fruit and vegetable industry needs a streamlined solution to our critical labor issues.

"We will continue to work to drive improvements to our current labor challenges through both legislation and regulatory solutions, with the goal of creating the best possible outcome for the fresh produce industry.”

Western Growers CEO Tom Nassif said that any effort to simplify and streamline the government's visa program for agricultural workers would be welcomed by the association's members.

“While we do not know what the end result will be of the process that begins today, we are hopeful it will enable greater utilization of the H-2A program by the fresh produce industry," he said.

He hoped the process would lead to changes in several areas of the existing program, including changes that would modernize and reduce unnecessary cost of recruitment methods, improve the scope and accuracy of prevailing wage surveys, and simplify the application process.

"While this effort to implement administrative changes are most welcome, key aspects of the H-2A program can only be modified by statute. We have grown accustomed to fluctuations in the program’s processes with each administration," he said.

"Indeed, administrative improvements undertaken by one administration can be, and are, undone by the next, as was done by the prior administration."

He also voiced concern over the suggestions that E-Verify would be a part of this proposal.

"Changes to H-2A should be made to improve the system for the use of all, and any implication that necessary reforms would be limited to those that use E-Verify is concerning," he said.

“This is why we continue to call on Congress to enact immigration reform legislation that provides a workable path to legalization for our existing workforce and creates a new guest worker visa program to ensure ready access to an adequate supply of labor in the future.

"Only then can America’s fresh produce farmers plan for long-term sustainability.”

www.freshfruitportal.com