Part 2: AFBF on Labor Reform

Today is the second part of a two-part series on farm labor challenges and immigration concerns. American Farm Bureau Federation Representative Mike McCarthy grows apples, pears, and cherries in North Central Oregon, and was one of the early adopters of the HOA program in pursuit of a stable legal workforce. He shares his perspective on current workforce issues.

“The food supply actually is sort of in jeopardy. And one thing we're seeing, though, particularly to our industry, is the costs of the h2 a program are getting so high that it's getting impossible for farmers to actually pay those high rates and high costs, because we also have transportation to and from Mexico. We also have the contract fees for acquiring the visas. We also have the housing cost. And then in our state, we have one of the highest adverse effect wage rate, or the rate that's required to be paid. If you do H2A.”

McCarthy states, it's unsustainable to pay the high rates while receiving the prices for their crops that have been stable for the last 10 years.

“We're really in a cost price squeeze, where some growers in our area and in Washington are going out of business, some are declaring bankruptcy, some fruit acreage is being taken out, and that's unfortunate, because we're proud of the fact as fruit growers that we provide US-grown fruit

specialty crop score.”

Mike McCarthy with the American Farm Bureau Federation.