A bipartisan group of House lawmakers on Wednesday reintroduced legislation to stabilize the nation’s agricultural workforce and reform visas amid President Donald Trump’s immigrant crackdown and trade war.
The Farm Workforce Modernization Act — sponsored by Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), David Valadao (R-Calif.) and Adam Gray (D-Calif.) — would provide a path to legal status for farmworkers and expand the H-2A visa program, which allows employers to bring seasonal migrant workers to the U.S., to some year-round industries like dairy.
“The workforce crisis is the most important issue facing agriculture in our country,” Simpson said in a statement. “Supporting American agriculture means providing a stable, reliable, and legal workforce, and this legislative solution addresses one of the most pressing concerns our farmers and ranchers face.”
The effort is aimed at allaying concerns that Trump’s immigration policy and deportation threats could lead to more labor shortages in the ag industry, which relies heavily on migrant workers and is already worried about the impact the president’s tariffs will have on U.S. producers.
