Extreme Need for Farm Workers in Extreme Heat

With your Southeast Regional Ag News, I am Haylie Shipp. This is the Ag Information Network.

The hottest states in the U.S. need more temporary farm workers! That’s according to a report out from the American Immigration Council.

From the report, “Between 2017 and 2022, the number of certified H-2A workers—those who are requested by employers and then certified by the DOL—grew by 64.7 percent, from 224,965 to 370,628. This marked increase underscores the agricultural sector's increasing reliance on temporary foreign workers to fill its open jobs.”

Looking at the difference in need from 2017 to 2022, Florida sas a 64.7% increase in the number of certified H-2A workers. Over the same timeframe, Georgia saw a 49.3% increase with much smaller worker numbers. And, while Alabama saw an increase of 132.1%, it was more modest yet in the number of total workers.

H-2A workers endure many challenging work conditions, but perhaps most notable is the heat. An analysis by the Council of Department of Labor data finds that 13.7 percent of certified H-2A laborers are required to work during months when the average local temperature exceeds 90°F (32°C). In southern states like Arizona, Georgia, New Mexico, and Texas, more than 1 in 4 certified H-2A workers work in those temperatures.

For more, visit: https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/h-2a-workers-us-agriculture