Labor
With 400 groups in lockstep, Chairman G.T. Thompson’s labor bill moves to the House Judiciary Committee. The goal: Open year-round H-2A access for the first time since the program’s creation in 1986 and cap mandatory wage hikes.
With New World screwworm confirmed in Texas, a critical shortage of skilled labor threatens the response. Ranchers warn that technology and drones cannot replace the “boots in the stirrups” needed to doctor infected calves.
With school out and more youth heading into summer farm work, now is the time to put safety checks in place before kids take on responsibilities on the farm.
After passing the House 224-200, the farm bill is headed to the Senate, where SNAP funding could be another problematic topic.
Teresa McQueen, corporate counsel for Western Growers Association, shares best practices for reducing turnover, elevating company culture and becoming an employer of choice.
Putting off letting go of the wrong employee often makes problems harder to fix later.
A federal audit wiped out Drumgoon Dairy’s staff, exposing agriculture’s labor crisis. This South Dakota farm’s labor struggle highlights the urgent need for immigration reform to sustain the U.S. food supply.
The debate over immigration and ag labor reform has been a political hot potato for decades now and has led to inaction by Congress, but leaders of the House and Senate Ag Committees say they are making it a priority for 2026.