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Ag groups concerned over H-2A slowdown

The executive director of the Organic Farmers Association says farmers across the country are facing increased labor shortages due to issues with the H-2A temporary visa program.

Kate Mendenhall tells Brownfield, “We have farmers who are working to bring H-2A labor to their farms, and they’ve already invested a lot of money into training and prepping their farm and their program is on hold at the moment.”  She says, “A farm can’t function without the farm labor to do it.”

K.J. Johnson, president of the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, says it’s not just impacting farmers.

“But just finding those part-time truck drivers, it’s been hard.”  He says, “We used to use a lot of retirees that used to work in the spring and fall, and that just doesn’t happen now. So, retailers are using the H-2A worker program.  It’s a good program, but some of that stuff has gotten tougher.”

Mendenhall says the issues occurring during spring planting season complicate an already stressful time for producers. 

AUDIO: Kate Mendenhall – Organic Farmers Association