Ag Labor: Longstanding Issue for NASDA Members

We hear from the National Association of State Department of Agriculture Senior Director of Public Policy, RJ Karney once again, as he discusses one of NASDA's priorities in 2024, which is to ensure that farmers and ranchers have a stable and reliable workforce.

“Labor reform has become I will call it almost a political fireball in many ways. And being a nonpartisan agricultural trade association that has membership from both Republicans and Democrats. NASA has been able to come together and support a variety of different reforms for H2A. And what we're hopeful to do is be able to continue those conversations with both the House and Senate and really reduce that political fireball maybe lower the temperature become a hot potato maybe a little bit easier to handle between members of Congress.”

Karney says in an election year it will be more difficult to see H2A workforce reform across the finish line. However, NASDA will continue to push for it.

“One of our big requests here as it does support amending the H2A program to include year-round workers for all of agricultural, livestock and forestry industries. And that's going to be one of our our big focuses as we continue to have conversations with members of Congress throughout 2024.”

For decades, he says NASDA has heard from farmers and ranchers that workforce issues have been the number one issue impacting their livelihood.