May/June 2023 - 32

AG LABOR REVIEW
Grower concerns help shape
NCAE's mission
I
was visiting with a grower the other day who told me, with
some apparent relief, that he had not yet had to use the
H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker Program because
he had been fortunate to find enough domestic workers to
help him when he needed them. He was comforted that he
didn't have to wade through all the government bureaucracy
and be confronted by mandated minimum wages devoid of
market connection.
He asked why NCAE seemed to spend so much time
working on the H-2A regulations.
I congratulated him on being able to miss out on all the fun!
The big reason for NCAE spending time on the H-2A
regulations is that they are so often in flux. There is a
seemingly constant flow of proposed changes to these
rules and, whether someone uses the program or not,
those changes have a direct economic impact on legacy
family farming and ranching operations.
The grower said he appreciates the work NCAE does
on non-H-2A issues that impact his operation. This past
year he had participated in our webinars on heat stress
regulations that will be proposed this coming year by
OSHA. The information in both webinars gave him several
ideas to help protect workers from heat stress. The
discussion was helpful in getting him to think about how
he would form his comments on the regulation after the
proposal was published.
I told him we were pleased he found the information
useful and that NCAE is always looking for new ideas on
educational topics that would be of interest to ag employers.
He then thanked us for putting together a webinar on
payroll tax issues, as he learned some valuable tips.
The grower noted that the recorded information allowed
him to review the information again, as his filing
deadlines approached.
Additionally, we exchanged information about theAnnual
SOURCE PRODUCTS FROM LEADING
INDUSTRY SUPPLIERS IN THE
202 Buyers' Guide3
Ag Labor Forum in Las Vegas, because I had seen him and
his wife there, and whether the topics were important for
their business.
He responded they were absolutely on point. He enjoyed
the presentation on the Fair Labor Standards Act. He also
shared that his wife found the seminar on the Migrant and
Seasonal Ag Worker Protection Act (MSPA) to be insightful,
and the discussion of recent MSPA cases helpful in
protecting their business.The presentations by economists
discussing farm labor economics helped him realize how
impactful the H-2A program was on his business, even
though he hasn't used it yet. He said he hoped we could rein
in the H-2A wage rates because he knew they were having
a direct impact on his cost of production. He hopes to pass
down his enterprise to the next generation in his family but
is concerned H-2A regulations are forcing America's food
production overseas. He asked how he could compete with
a blueberry grower in Canada or Mexico who has a much
lower cost of production.
Finally, he said that a forum presentation on what the
Growers rely on Vegetable Growers News to provide the
resources they need for a successful operation. In the
2023 Buyers' Guide - accessible on any device - you
will find the latest products in biologicals, irrigation,
postharvest and much more!
View the 2023 Buyers' Guide at VegetableGrowersNews.com/BuyersGuide.
Or simply scan the QR Code.
32 | MAY/JUNE 2023
triggers were requiring them to provide employee benefits,
such as health insurance and retirement, to his seasonal
workers, had caused him to contact his CPA and his attorney
in order to put a plan into place.
I appreciated his feedback because to constantly improve
NCAE, we need to hear what our members need to make
their businesses better.
He thanked me for all NCAE does to help ag employers.
I told him he was welcome and that I hoped he could get
some sleep.
http://www.VegetableGrowersNews.com/BuyersGuide
May/June 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May/June 2023
