…The agricultural sector is currently facing urgent challenges caused by producers’ lack of access to an adequate workforce. This has been a problem for decades, and it continues to worsen. U.S. farmers are already reeling from record-high production costs that have translated into thin and negative margins. The inability to find and hire workers is only exacerbating this negative trend.

The time to act is now.

The House Agriculture Committee formed the Agricultural Labor Working Group (ALWG) to identify the root causes contributing to the lack of available domestic workforce, the impact this has on our nation’s domestic food supply, and the potential solutions to address this critical challenge. The ALWG engaged in a rigorous agenda and received input from numerous stakeholders, employers, and workers around the country, specifically focusing on the H-2A visa program for non-immigrant agricultural workers. Further, it released its Interim Report in late November 2023, summarizing what the ALWG heard through its sessions...