Photo by Lorene Parker
June 26, 2024
www.gfb.org
Vol. 6 No. 12
AFBF CALLS FOR AG LABOR REFORM; GFVGA JOINS LABOR LAWSUIT On June 14, the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) sent a letter to USDA and the Department of Labor regarding the significant shortage of help on U.S. farms and ranches. In a related development, the Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) joined a lawsuit against the DOL challenging new rules concerning farm labor. AFBF’s June 14 letter asked the agencies to reevaluate the farm labor survey and sought a willingness from the DOL to engage with farmers and ranchers to understand challenges agricultural producers face. The AFBF’s letter followed a June 4 letter from multiple agricultural stakeholder organizations asking for guidance on the agencies’ rulemaking and a review of the Farm Labor Survey. The June 14 letter, solely from AFBF, expanded and underscored those recommendations. Among the requests AFBF made are: • A reconsideration of the methodology for determining the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR). The National Council of Agricultural Employers has led a petitioning effort to reevaluate the AEWR’s function as a guardrail against an adverse effect to the domestic wages and working conditions of U.S. workers similarly employed, as embodied in the Immigration and Nationality Act. AFBF supports the petition and requests serious consideration by DOL. • A reconsideration whether an adverse effect truly exists to justify the current framework. Foremost among the feedback received from Farm Bureau members is the inexplicable annual rise in the AEWR. “For many years, AEWR increases have significantly outpaced inflation and accelerated costs for growers well beyond their means and the financial viability of family farms. Small- and medium-sized farms struggle to stay afloat, and many are shutting down,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall wrote. • A suggestion to convene a workshop with USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service experts and stakeholders to candidly address the deficiencies and suggested improvements to data -continued on next page