(From left) Rebeckah Adcock of IFPA interviews Congressional Specialty Crop Caucus members Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Jim Costa (D-CA), and David Rouzer (R-NC) June 12 at the IFPA Washington Conference.
WASHINGTON, DC – One of the produce industry’s most pressing needs is a legal, stable workforce.
For decades, that’s been hindered by the country’s broken immigration system. In 2024, it is as broken as ever.
Greg Johnson is VP of Media for Blue Book Services
But as the industry gathers this week in DC to speak with their Congressional representatives, as part of the International Produce Association’s BB #:378962 Washington Conference June 10-12, a strategy has developed regarding labor that has a chance of working: Our problems are about labor not immigration.
Specifically, the industry is asking Congress members to support legislation that provides immediate relief to those using the H-2A visa program. The industry wants the wage increases in the program to pause and ease the regulatory burden with using the program.
The industry’s argument is that these temporary workers fill jobs that native workers continue to not take, so it’s not an issue of prioritizing foreign over domestic workers. And since they’re temporary, it’s not an immigration issue.
U.S. Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC), who is a co-leader of the Congressional Specialty Crop Caucus, said June 12 at the conference, that immigration issues are complex, emotional, and politically charged, so it’s best for the produce industry to avoid to topic in meetings.
His advice to attendees is, “Explain to members and staff that you can’t get labor. Paying more doesn’t solve it. It’s not an immigration issue but a labor issue, a workforce issue.”
Republicans in both houses have voters who hate what seems to be an open border policy, so there’s an instant rejection of passing anything that has the appearance of amnesty for immigration law breakers.
Democrats tend to be more tolerant on immigration, both legal and illegal, as immigrants tend to vote Democratic.
Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), and fellow caucus member who also spoke June 12, agreed that the industry must speak about their labor problems, but he still believes the issue of labor and immigration are tied together.
Another caucus member Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), said neither party escapes blame on our immigration problems, but said, “Tell them you need legal, vetted labor, and carve it out as a workforce issue.”
I believe the industry is best served avoiding the immigration debate as much as possible and focus on workforce issues.
At a June 11 labor workshop, speakers said there are other non-partisan ways to appeal to Congress about ag labor.
Mike Laws of Laws Logistics, said labor problems lead to delays all along the supply chain, which costs money, which leads to food inflation, which consumers hate.
Stefanie Katzman of S. Katzman Produce BB #:103742, added, “Without ag labor, companies along the supply chain will go out of business, and that will lead to more unemployment.”
IFPA’s John Hollay said the industry is still working toward long-term immigration and labor reform, but H-2A is the fire alarm. It must be dealt with now.
Immigration may be polarizing, but American unemployment, food inflation, and the ability to grow and sell our own food are not.
And emphasizing this may just help address the ag labor crisis.
WASHINGTON, DC – One of the produce industry’s most pressing needs is a legal, stable workforce.
For decades, that’s been hindered by the country’s broken immigration system. In 2024, it is as broken as ever.
Greg Johnson is VP of Media for Blue Book Services
But as the industry gathers this week in DC to speak with their Congressional representatives, as part of the International Produce Association’s BB #:378962 Washington Conference June 10-12, a strategy has developed regarding labor that has a chance of working: Our problems are about labor not immigration.
Specifically, the industry is asking Congress members to support legislation that provides immediate relief to those using the H-2A visa program. The industry wants the wage increases in the program to pause and ease the regulatory burden with using the program.
The industry’s argument is that these temporary workers fill jobs that native workers continue to not take, so it’s not an issue of prioritizing foreign over domestic workers. And since they’re temporary, it’s not an immigration issue.
U.S. Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC), who is a co-leader of the Congressional Specialty Crop Caucus, said June 12 at the conference, that immigration issues are complex, emotional, and politically charged, so it’s best for the produce industry to avoid to topic in meetings.
His advice to attendees is, “Explain to members and staff that you can’t get labor. Paying more doesn’t solve it. It’s not an immigration issue but a labor issue, a workforce issue.”
Republicans in both houses have voters who hate what seems to be an open border policy, so there’s an instant rejection of passing anything that has the appearance of amnesty for immigration law breakers.
Democrats tend to be more tolerant on immigration, both legal and illegal, as immigrants tend to vote Democratic.
Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), and fellow caucus member who also spoke June 12, agreed that the industry must speak about their labor problems, but he still believes the issue of labor and immigration are tied together.
Another caucus member Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), said neither party escapes blame on our immigration problems, but said, “Tell them you need legal, vetted labor, and carve it out as a workforce issue.”
I believe the industry is best served avoiding the immigration debate as much as possible and focus on workforce issues.
At a June 11 labor workshop, speakers said there are other non-partisan ways to appeal to Congress about ag labor.
Mike Laws of Laws Logistics, said labor problems lead to delays all along the supply chain, which costs money, which leads to food inflation, which consumers hate.
Stefanie Katzman of S. Katzman Produce BB #:103742, added, “Without ag labor, companies along the supply chain will go out of business, and that will lead to more unemployment.”
IFPA’s John Hollay said the industry is still working toward long-term immigration and labor reform, but H-2A is the fire alarm. It must be dealt with now.
Immigration may be polarizing, but American unemployment, food inflation, and the ability to grow and sell our own food are not.
And emphasizing this may just help address the ag labor crisis.
Greg Johnson is Vice President of Media for Blue Book Services
