Is Real H-2A Program Reform on the Horizon?
Labor challenges for farmers is nothing new
The difficulty U.S. farmers have with hiring American farm workers is old news. In fact, it’s why the H-2A visa program exists. In an article by Frank Morris of Harvest Public Media published November 10, 2025, Brandon Batten—who raises cattle, tobacco and soybeans on his Raleigh, North Carolina farm—shares the sentiments of farmers across the nation when he says, “Labor is my biggest challenge.” Morris’ article goes on to put this challenge into perspective by sharing the all-too-common reality for John Rosenow and his wife Nettie who run a mid-sized dairy farm in western Wisconsin. “Over the last 10 to 15 years, I've probably had 150 people apply for a job here,” Rosenow said. “Two of them have been Americans, and those two are just fulfilling a need for their unemployment to apply for a job.”
From bad to worse
The heightened two-pronged crackdown on immigration—both enhancing border security and increasing deportation efforts—have resulted in a bad to worse situation. An analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the pool of agricultural labor lost 155,000 workers between March and July 2020 alone, compared to a rise of 49,000 during a similar period in 2024. While the administration predicted American workers would happily fill newly vacant jobs, the reality tells a very different story. The physical demands, low wage rates, and seasonality simply don’t appeal to most domestic workers.
The effects are far-reaching
Foreign ag labor is essential to farmers. Lack of dependable, affordable quality farm labor creates a snowball effect that can result in unharvested crops, higher production costs, farmers having to scale back on operations, a higher reliance on imports, a threat to the entire food chain, increased costs—for both farmers and consumers—even rural instability and farms having to shut down altogether. According to the Labor Department one study found that a 10% decrease in the ag labor can drop fruit and vegetable production by 4.2%. Imagine what the drop would be with a 40-plus% workforce reduction!
To complicate things even more, an AgTech article shares how the trend toward young workers continually migrating to urban areas is creating an aging farm workforce. John Boyd Jr., a farmer of soybeans, wheat, and corn in southern Virginia, says the immigration crackdown is yet another huge hurdle farmers face in addition to dealing with low crop prices, high costs, and trade war fallout. In a Fortune article published October 18,2020, Boyd shared, “People in the city aren’t coming back to the farm to do this kind of work,’’ he said. “It takes a certain type of person to bend over in 100-degree heat.’’
The hardest hit states
While the immigration crackdown is hurting farmers across the board, some states are particularly vulnerable:
California: It’s estimated that 80% of California’s ag workforce consists of immigrants
Washington: Its workforce is roughly 73% migrant
Florida: Having the highest number of certified H-2A positions shows its significant need for foreign farm labor
Texas: With the most farms and ranches, it's highly impacted by labor shortages
Oregon: The state has a high population of farmworkers and is heavily reliant on immigrant labor
Idaho: An estimated 90% of workers on dairy farms are from other countries
Northwest and Midwest: Daily farms across Pennsylvania, New York, and Vermont have ag workforces that consist up to an estimated 60% foreign labor
Real-life impact
In an article published by ABC News on October 15, 2025, Mason Leath highlights the plight of Shay Myers, general manager for Owyhee Produce, a third-generation ag business in Idaho. According to Myers, the farm typically employs 300 workers for peak harvest, with 82 of them here from Mexico, South Africa, and other countries on the H-2A visa program. Myers’ farm is now facing a labor shortage as a result of the heightened immigration efforts. Myers said they’d love to hire domestic workers but being in a rural area and the reality of farming being hard work, they can’t find enough locals willing to do it.
Tim Wood is a Pennsylvania dairy farmer who, like most farmers, can’t find a consistent workforce. A Politico.com article published September 15, 2025, highlights the physical toll on the farmers themselves. When Woods' doctor advised him to reduce stress after being treated for a heart condition in late 2024, he responded by saying his biggest stressor is the uncertainty of knowing if he’ll have workers tomorrow. That uncertainty led to Woods selling 100 head of cattle after being released from the hospital.
Our food supply, and economy, depends on farmers
Roughly 70% of America’s 2.4 million farmworkers were born somewhere else. History shows just how critical foreign ag labor is, not just to farms and agribusinesses, but to our nation. According to an article published in Fortune on October 18, 2025, the U.S. dodged exorbitant interest rates and a recession in 2023 and 2024 in part due to foreign workers helping to provide reliable labor and keep wages and prices in check.
Despite advances in technology, certain crops—such as berries, tomatoes, and certain fruits—still require delicate handling. Both farmers and researchers predict our high dependency on foreign ag labor will continue for the foreseeable future.
USA Farm Labor specializes in providing quality farm labor with valued skills today’s farmers need. That’s why we partner with USA Truck Labor to provide essential training and verification for key skills—such as operating, maintaining, and repairing expensive farm equipment—to ensure their H-2A program workers are both experienced and confident.
The H-2A visa program can help
The H-2A visa program was designed to give U.S. farmers and ag businesses the reliable workforce they need, given the chronic challenge of finding enough domestic farm workers. According to 2024 data, 22,000 farms employed H-2A program workers. The program has consistently grown—from 85,000 H-2A visas issued in 2012 to 315,000 in 2024—with an estimated 400,000 by the end of 2025 according to the Farm Bureau Federation.
One of those H-2A employers is Mickelsen Farms, among the largest potato producers in Idaho. Stephanie Mickelsen is a sixth-generation farmer. According to an article published September 8, 2025, in the Idaho Capital Sun, Mickelsen Farms needs roughly 125 temporary workers to harvest several thousand acres. It typically only gets one or two domestic applications. Andrew Mickelsen, who runs the farm alongside his mother, said they used to get by without using H-2A program workers. Now they’re reliant on them. “If we did not have the H-2A program, there would be no way for us to get our harvest done,” he said. Andrew also shared, “We have not deferred to migrant labor or H-2A programs because we’re trying to save money. We’re doing it because that void is not filling up.”
And that void is now bigger than ever. While the H-2A via program has some limitations, it provides a lifeline for farmers across the U.S. Learn more about how the H-2A visa program works.
Lighting a fire for reform
The H-2A visa program isn’t without challenges. It requires a significant investment, and costs haven’t exactly been adjusted to align with changing conditions. Also, not all farms are eligible for the H-2A program. Dairy farms, poultry farms, and others aren’t eligible. Why? Because the H-2A visa program currently provides temporary, seasonal farm labor—which by the government’s definition means 10 months or less. But a farmer’s job is never done. It’s round-the-clock, 365 days a year.
See which types of farms and ag businesses are currently eligible for the H-2A program
The worsening labor shortage is bringing the limitations in the H-2A program to light like never before. The hope is it will result in much-needed adjustments to provide relief to all farmers and ag businesses.
Harvest Public Media reports, “I think the time is now, and it needs to be now, because farmers have reached a crisis point,” said Kristi Boswell, the spokesperson for Grow It Here, an advocacy group founded earlier this year. “We have farms that are going out of business,” she said. “We have food prices at an all-time high.”
Much-needed H-2A program changes are in the works
The most recent change addressing farm labor costs came last month, when the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) was lowered between $1.12 to $3.18 an hour, depending on the state. This reduced rate takes into account a housing cost adjustment. The Department of Labor estimates this will lead to hiring 119,000 additional H-2A program workers, and a savings of $2.46 billion per year for H-2A employers.
Here’s a brief summary of other potential H-2A program changes that could provide some relief for farmers:
The latest version of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act (FWMA) is pending legislation that lays the groundwork for continuing negotiations to improve the H-2A visa program. It would expand H-2A job types and simplify the process—allowing employers to submit a single application for multiple seasons, and providing at least 20,000 H-2A visas a year (half in the dairy industry) for the next decade for farmers with year-round labor needs. It has not yet passed both houses of Congress.
Introduced in July, the proposed Bracero Program 2.0 Act is focused on streamlining the H-2A application process, expanding the types of eligible farms, extending H-2A contracts to 12 months, and providing flexibility for workers to change employers in the same sector without reapplying for a visa
According to an article published November 8th by Investigate Midwest, the DOL created a new office—named the Office of Immigration Policy—to create a “one-stop shop” for the H-2A visa program, according to labor secretary Chavez-DeRemer. Goals include increasing the number of farmers participating in the H-2A program, addressing the backlog of applications, and speeding up approvals.
Only time will tell if these much-needed changes materialize. In the meantime, USA Farm Labor is committed to helping farmers and ag businesses make the most of the H-2A program.
