02/07/08 H2A Revisions

H2A Revisions. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. American farmers only legal way to get legal immigrant workers has gotten a bit of make-over. Washington Farm Bureau's Dan Fazio explains. FAZIO: Unfortunately these changes that are coming about won't be available for this growing season but we're really thankful that the administration has taken the bull by the horns to make this process better for farmers. You know the H2A program is bureaucratic, it's costly, it's unreliable and we've documented that of all the industry guest worker programs the agriculture guest worker program is by far the worst and the administration is trying to remedy that. And while the changes are good news, one aspect here in Washington State isn't. FAZIO: There is one change that the administration has put in that would help right now and it's very, very unfortunate that the State of Washington has not elected to follow the federal guidance for the change that could help us this year. There will be a comment period allowing for vocalization on some of the issues. FAZIO: There will be a 45 day comment period. Farm Bureau will be making comments most assuredly and then the agency will get all their comments, analyze them, incorporate the good suggestions that they see from both the agricultural and the worker advocates, everyone and then they will come out with the final rule and the final rule will be late this year that it will come out. Tomorrow we talk specific changes and issues on H2A. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.