DOL's Final H-2A Rule and Citrus Shines Amid Pandemic

DOL's Final H-2A Rule and Citrus Shines Amid Pandemic

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.

**In his final days at the USDA, Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue applauds the Department of Labor’s final rule modernizing the H-2A visa program that will streamline the H-2A application process by mandating electronic filing of job orders and applications.

The changes are designed to bring the H-2A application process into the digital era, by harnessing the power of the FLAG electronic filing system to share information with federal agencies while being available for the State Workforce systems and domestic farmworkers.

The final rule also provides flexibilities to cut down on unnecessary burdens on the ag employers.

https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2021/01/15/secretary-perdue-statement-h-2a-modernization

**The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged produce grower-shippers, but a silver lining for the citrus industry is consumers’ perception of citrus as immunity boosters.

Al Finch, president of Florida Classic Growers tells www.thepacker.com citrus as a category is definitely up this year versus last year. He feels people think of fresh citrus as that instant shot in the arm of vitamin C.

https://www.thepacker.com/markets/marketing/citrus-shines-during-pandemic?mkt/

**While biologicals aren’t new to the ag industry, there is still trepidation about them.

www.agweb.com reports farmers wonder if they work AND what they actually do, impacting their likelihood of trying these products.

According to a recent Farm Journal Pulse, 41% of farmers say they need to know more about biologicals before they’ll use them, but 35% think there’s potential for biologicals in row crops.

https://agweb.com/news/crops/corn/farmers-want-proof-concept-trying-biologicals?mkt/

Previous ReportFresh Apple Inventory Down and NPPC Environmental Campaign
Next ReportAmerican Robotics FAA Approval and BASF's Teraxxa Launched