Wages for Agriculture Workers Continue to Climb

The USDA’s Farm Labor Report, released on November 20, brings insight into the rising costs of farm labor—and what it means for the future.

The report reveals that the national wage rate for field and livestock workers is now $18.12 an hour, a 3.2 percent increase from last year. This rate, determined annually, is used to set the minimum wage for most H-2A workers—temporary agricultural employees from abroad—through the Adverse Effect Wage Rate.

Regionally, wages climbed an average of 4.5 percent, though changes varied widely across the country. For fruit and vegetable growers—the biggest users of the H-2A program—labor already accounts for 38 percent of farm expenses. With wages continuing to rise, these costs are expected to increase further.

This growing wage gap is especially challenging for U.S. specialty crop producers, who compete in a global market where farmers in other countries often pay much lower wages.

As labor costs climb, producers face tough decisions about balancing farm expenses, maintaining competitiveness, and ensuring profitability in a shifting agricultural landscape.