June 2019 - 9

Other traditions still hold true:
" Stay the same. Family-owned and
operated. No outside labor. "
" Do only what I can by myself. "
H-2A works - for some
The cumbersome H-2A visa program
is growing annually, and is catching
on - primarily out of necessity - with
those operations that responded to the
latest VGN questionnaire.
Just 33% of respondents used
the program in 2017, with 67% not
pursuing that option.
" If you don't have the
domestic help this year,
they are not going to appear
magically next year. "
− VGN survey respondent
In the 2019 survey results, 45% of
respondents said they used H-2A labor
in 2018. Last year, the number who did
not use the program dipped to 54%.
Growers who use the H-2A system
are doing so begrudgingly, according
to the survey findings.
" H-2A is expensive with the fees
and government red tape you have
to deal with, " said one respondent.
" You should not be burdened with
the same certification every year. If
you don't have the domestic help this
year, they are not going to appear
magically next year. "
" (It's) cumbersome with paperwork
rules - expensive. However, (it's) the
only viable option so we continue to
use (it). "
Wage rate average
Respondents to an agriculture labor survey
" The only thing I like about it is we
can get labor, " another user said. " It is
way too expensive and complicated,
and the travel expenses and wages
are too high. I have also been a
victim of unfair Department of Labor
investigation that has been going on
for five-plus years. "
" (The) pay rate is too high,
inspections too difficult, paperwork
excessive, " said another in
summarizing the sentiment of most
H-2A users.
Several respondents mentioned the
reliability and commitment of the
H-2A laborers, despite one respondent
saying " (we) never know what you're
going to get in terms of work ethic. "
" The workers are serious players
like years ago, " one grower responded.
" I like knowing I have a workforce.
I dislike government over-regulation, "
another said.
'It's a very complicated process with
monumental regulations. (We) must
hire a service provider to execute. "
" Lots of time, money and general
grief over regulations make the H-2A
program a tough pill to swallow at
times, but the quality of employee has
certainly improved over the domestic
workforce - if you can find them. " VGN
conducted by Vegetable Growers News indicated they
pay farmworkers an average of approximately $10.76 an
hour for harvesting their vegetable crops.
A few of the growers using the H-2A program were
impacted by their state's Adverse Effect Wage Rates
(AEWR), the rate participating farms must pay all
workers - including their domestic help. This bumped
a couple of operations to approximately $13 an hour in
wages for 2018.
The lowest pay reported was $7.50 an hour. One
grower indicated they are paying $21-$22 an hour.
The challenges of the AEWR were noticeable to
many, including one disgruntled participant.
" We pay the AEWER. This year it skyrocketed to
$13.15 an hour. Our state raised the minimum wage to
$15 - that is going to push the AEWR up. In addition,
wage and hour enforcement is vindictive and draconian
with agents using scare tactics and shakedown methods
levying fines. I have never seen them once at a winter
meeting or sponsoring a non-controversial workshop or
on farm visit to explain all the loopholes and pitfalls of
these laws our elected officials keep making. I honestly
don't know how long we can sustain these costs and
unfunded government mandates. "
" The wage has to go down or we will be out of
business, " another grower said. " It needs to stop
increasing every year. "
- Gary Pullano
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VGN | JUNE 2019 | 9
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June 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of June 2019
