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AFBF president calls for modernized farm labor programs

The president of the American Farm Bureau Federation is urging Congress to address the ongoing farm labor crisis.

Zippy Duvall told the U.S. Senate Ag Committee on Tuesday that an adequate workforce is a key pillar of a strong ag economy.

“The current labor shortage is unacceptable and unnecessary,” Duvall said.

He says modernized ag labor programs and improved guest worker programs would help bolster domestic markets.

“Otherwise farm production and food processing will continue to move outside our borders.”

Duvall says continued ag labor shortages limit U.S. farmers’ ability to grow nutritious food that the country depends on.

“American agriculture remains one of the most innovative and productive sectors in the world,” he said. “We must ensure that markets, infrastructure, and policy evolves alongside that productivity.”

According to AFBF, many fruit and vegetable farmers are going out of business or turning to less labor-intensive crops because they can’t find the workers they need.