CONGRESSMAN ADAM GRAY JOINS BIPARTISAN GROUP OF LAWMAKERS TO INTRODUCE BILL TO STABILIZE AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Adam Gray joined a bipartisan group of Members to reintroduce the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. The bill would address workforce shortages across the Central Valley by establishing a program for agricultural workers in the United States to earn legal status through continued employment in the agricultural sector. Congressman Gray joins Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Mike Simpson (R-ID), Jim Costa (D-CA), David Valadao (R-CA) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) as co-lead sponsor of the legislation.
“Farm workers and the larger agricultural community are the backbone of the Central Valley’s economy,” said Congressman Gray upon introduction of the bill. “Prices at the grocery store are already too high. As we head into summer, labor shortages threaten to make our picnics and barbecues more expensive. This commonsense bipartisan bill would stabilize our vital workforce and make sure Valley farmers can continue to feed families across the country.”
“Central Valley farmers are the backbone of our nation’s agricultural industry, but they continue to face serious challenges finding and retaining a reliable workforce,” said Congressman Valadao. “The current H-2A program doesn’t meet the labor needs of many producers, but the Farm Workforce Modernization Act is a positive step to addressing our agriculture workforce needs and securing our food supply chain. Food security is national security, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find long-term solutions that support our farmers and strengthen our food supply chain.”
“The men and women who work America’s farms feed the nation. However, in the past few years, we’ve seen labor shortages contribute to high food prices,” said Congresswoman Lofgren. “As economic chaos and confusion continues, it is essential we provide stability to this critical workforce. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would do so, which will protect the future of our farms and our food supply. It is well-past time we get this bipartisan legislation twice passed by the House of Representatives to the President’s desk.”
“The workforce crisis has come to a boiling point for farmers across the country. Reintroducing the Farm Workforce Modernization Act sends a clear message to farmers that we are working hard to find solutions that ease the burdens brought on by the current state of the H-2A program. This legislation is necessary to lay the groundwork for continued negotiations, and I am committed to working closely with my colleagues to enact long-term, durable reforms to our agriculture guest worker programs. This issue has been, and remains, my top priority and unified Republican government is an opportunity to deliver for our farmers and ranchers,” said Congressman Newhouse.
“American agriculture depends on a reliable workforce and nowhere is that more true than in California’s San Joaquin Valley, where farmworkers are the backbone of our economy. This legislation is a common-sense, bipartisan solution that provides stability for our farmers and dignity for the workers who feed America. If President Trump is serious about fixing our broken immigration system, he should work with us to get this bill across the finish line,” said Congressman Costa.
"The workforce crisis is the most important issue facing agriculture in our country," said Congressman Simpson. "Supporting American agriculture means providing a stable, reliable, and legal workforce, and this legislative solution addresses one of the most pressing concerns our farmers and ranchers face. Now that we finally have an administration taking the border crisis seriously, Congress must address this issue and enact necessary reforms. It is well past time we solve this problem. I look forward to working with my colleagues and getting this critical legislation across the finish line to President Trump's desk for his signature."
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act would both secure the domestic agricultural workforce and ensure an agricultural workforce for future generations of Valley farms. Specifically, the bill:
- Provides a process for farm workers to seek Certified Agricultural Worker (CAW) status—a temporary status for those who have worked at least 180 days in agriculture over the last 2 years. CAW status can be renewed indefinitely with continued farm work (at least 100 days per year)
- Streamlines the H-2A visa process
- Reforms H-2A wages to better reflect real-world wages, while protecting against sudden wage increases that disrupt employer planning and operations
- Establishes a Portable Agricultural Worker (PAW) pilot program to facilitate the free movement and employment of up to 10,000 H-2A workers with registered agricultural employers. Registered employers could employ individuals with PAW status without first having to file a petition
- Improves the availability of farmworker housing while lowering employer costs related to such housing
- Reduces the need for litigation by adopting prior compromises to expand the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) to cover H-2A workers, while effectively requiring mediation to resolve differences
- Establishes a program to register and provide oversight over foreign labor recruiters engaged in the recruitment of workers for the H-2A program
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act passed the House on a bipartisan basis in the 116th and 117th Congresses and was introduced with a bipartisan group of cosponsors in the 118th Congress but was not considered on the House Floor.
Full text of the bill is available here.
###