Farm Progress America, Nov. 22, 2024

Mike Pearson takes a look at the H2A Visa program which allows farmers to hire foreign workers for temporary/seasonal work when no qualified employees are available.

Several sectors depend on the program and it is growing.

Last year, 300,000 visas were issued and that's nearly double of six years ago.

The program has faced growing pains.

A report out by the U.S. government shows 3 areas the program needs to improve:

1. Improve returning back/owed wages to workers. Currently, if an employer violates the program, employees can get back pay. However, only 20 percent of the back pay gets returned because often workers return to their home country and can't be located to receive the money.

2. Hold employers accountable. The program can kick employers out for unfair wages or unsafe working conditions. There is a two year statute of limitation on holding employers accountable. The government wants to extend it to ensure compliance.

3. Delays in modernizing the application process. This step could make it easier for farmers and foreign workers. The report calls for improved communication between state and federal agencies to make it a faster process.

Farm Progress America is a daily look at key issues in agriculture. It is produced and presented by Mike Pearson, farm broadcaster and host of This Week in Agribusiness .

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