Farm Labor Reform Won’t Happen Without Grassroots Action

Although immigration policy reform took a big step forward in 2021, the House couldn’t get it across the finish line before the new congress.

Western Congressman Mike Simpson says it’s going to take a grassroots effort to get farm labor reform passed in Washington.

“The Judiciary Committee is busy with a lot of things. We need to get them focused on immigration. And it's hard to focus just on ag immigration when what's going on at the border is going on. And we need to let them know that this is different… And, in fact, passing this would probably help solve some of the problems with what's going on at the border.”

“But what we need is a concerted effort by agriculture throughout the country. And remember, we had 300 Ag groups that supported it, and not just Ag groups, but Chambers of Commerce, National Bankers Associations, all supported this bill that we had. We need all of them to be calling representatives on the Judiciary Committee, representatives of leadership in the House and in the Senate, to let them know how important this bill is, and what it means to our food supply, and, as we mentioned, to national security.”

“Republicans are worried about inflation. Studies have been showing that if you get a legal workforce for agriculture. It will help with inflation. It will help with food costs. What agriculture needs is a stable, reliable workforce.”