Agriculture Workforce Campaign
Stabilizing the Farm Workforce through Immigration Solutions
ABIC Action is a national leader in seeking immigration solutions that stabilize our nation’s farm workforce, reduce inflation and protect our nation’s food supply.
In 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act with bipartisan support. That was a good start, and now in the Senate, Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Mike Bennet (D-CO) have taken the lead on negotiating improvements on the House’s solutions and moving the process forward. Passing new Senate legislation is critical to solving labor shortages facing our nation’s agriculture sector and sustaining our economy as a whole.
Protecting Food Security
The USDA predicts that next year, for the first time in US history, we will be a net importer of agricultural goods. If we do not solve this labor shortage, this is a trend that will continue.
By addressing workforce shortages facing farm employers and stabilizing the H-2A visa application process, Congress can address inflation, lower food prices, ensure grocery store shelves remain stocked
Lowering Food Prices and Inflation
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, grocery bills are rising at the fastest pace in more than 40 years, and this year’s July 4th cookouts cost 17% more than last year and 27% more than before the pandemic. Prices for ground beef are up 36% from last summer, chicken breasts up 33%, pork and beans up 33%, pork chops up 31%, lemonade up 22%, and potato salad up 19% – some families were likely forced to skip a cookout altogether.
Read ABIC Action and Texas A&M International University’s new economic study on the link between stabilizing the agricultural workforce and decreasing inflation and consumer prices, showing that ensuring farmers have a stable, secure, reliable, and legal workforce is crucial to keeping America’s grocery shelves stocked, combating inflation, and lowering food prices (including milk, eggs, meat, and produce) for all domestic consumers.
Matt Teagarden
Chief Executive Officer, Kansas Livestock Association