Ag Groups Urge Biden Administration to Grant Travel Exemptions to South African H-2A Farm Workers

More than 60 ag groups telling the Biden Administration on Monday the nearly 7,000 South African farm workers should be exempted from restrictions related to the Omicron variant.

More than 60 agricultural organizations are urging the Biden administration to grant exemptions for H-2A farm workers in the recent travel restrictions placed on South Africa.

American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and more than 60 other ag groups telling the Biden Administration on Monday the nearly 7,000 South African farm workers should be exempted from restrictions related to the Omicron variant.

Currently, entry is limited to only those that are fully vaccinated. The groups say workers should be able to travel directly to the U.S. and be vaccinated here with a CDC approved vaccine if they desire.

The groups also say that many of these H-2A workers come with a unique skill set and U.S. operations are counting on their timely arrival to make plans for the upcoming season.

AgWeb-Logo crop
Related Stories
The joint venture could “cut roughly in half” finished imports of phosphate fertilizers.
Red crown rot is now active in at least eight Midwest states. The significance of the disease is building. The Crop Protection Network estimates 7.7 million bushels of soybeans were lost in 2025 versus 121,000 bushels in 2024.
Yield champions Randy Dowdy and David Hula saw hybrid performance differ significantly this season in the same fields under the same management practices. Their evaluation process went beyond yield and can help corn growers working on their seed decisions for 2027.
Read Next
Driven by global refining tight spots and overseas infrastructure attacks, a record-breaking $5.85 fuel spike forces farmers to bite the financial bullet just as combines hit the field.
Get News Daily
Get Market Alerts
Get News & Markets App