H-2A rule change

H-2A rule change

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
Finally something farmers can count on. When you consider all of the variables that farmers have to deal with, it is staggering. Trade deals with the rest of the world imposing on exports, the pandemic, presidential election results, weather, labor laws and it goes on and on. But now, a ray of hope for farmers who are forced to play a never ending guessing game.

A final H-2A farm labor rule announced by the Department of Labor, now gives farmers predictability in farm employee wages.

The Department of Labor announced a rule change in how farm labor rate increases are determined; the final rule no longer uses a USDA Survey for workers who fall under core-farm occupations.

The Farm Bureau Allison Crittendon:

“So, we’re no longer using the survey-based wage methodology that has all those drastic swings from year-to-year of a 23 percent increase in one year, or a ten percent increase in a different region. Instead, we are moving to a two-year freeze, and then using the Employment Cost Index which isn’t as volatile to dictate the increases starting in 2023.”

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