September 2020 - 18

AG LABOR REVIEW
Pleas to Congress don't connect; action needed
One of the farmers on the call pushed
MICHAEL MARSH
President & CEO
National Council of
Agricultural Employers
Michael@ncaeonline.org
back on the senator's claim.
" The president says this whole thing is
going to go away by summer. When that
happens and these unemployed people I've
hired onto the farm decide they're going
back to their old jobs, what am I going to
On March 13, 2020, President Trump
declared a national emergency to combat
the coronavirus outbreak in the United
States. The following week, I was invited by
one of our members to join a conference
call between farmers and a state's
Congressional delegation, including both
U.S. senators. The topic of the meeting was
agricultural labor during the pandemic.
It was interesting to hear the delegation's
take. It was far more interesting to hear the
farmers' view.
One of the senators announced to the
group that farmers at last would be free
from having to utilize the H-2A program
for temporary agricultural workers. No
longer would we need these foreigners
working our fields. He posited that with
the huge numbers of recently unemployed
individuals within the state, there would
likely be an army of workers clamoring
to come out and work on the farm. He
also suggested that with so many workers
looking for jobs, the farmers would be able
to cherry pick the absolute best.
do to fill those spots? " the grower asked.
" Who's going to help me during harvest? "
The senator stammered for a few
seconds appearing to try to come up with a
response, then suddenly said he needed to
run. He thanked the group for their time
and their support. Then, he was gone.
One of the House members chimed
in and suggested the grower need not
worry because he was working on a new
proposal. His championed idea would
open the state's prisons to early release if
the prisoners released would agree to work
on farms. Another aspect of his proposal
was that the farmer would only be required
to pay the federal minimum wage for the
furloughed prison labor. Nothing more.
He further asserted this plan would
make sure the inmates would stay through
harvest. Problem solved!
One of the farmers on the call asked
to be recognized. The farmer inquired of
the congressman how his hire of these
prisoners would fit within his food safety
protocols on the farm?
Silence.
Then he followed up with a second
concern and asked, " Will the state
guarantee that my wife and kids will be
safe from these people your plan would
bring onto my place? "
The congressman noted those were good
questions he hadn't considered. He then
apologized that he had another call to get
to and thanked the group on the phone for
their support. Then, he was gone.
We need to connect
this disconnect and
must all do our part.
I chose to share this story to illustrate
the disconnect that unfortunately exists
between politicians' notions, and the
reality faced in the field.
In the past several months, we have seen
two pieces of legislation proposed. One of
the bills authored by conservative members
of the Senate would do away with all
temporary foreign worker programs in the
United States. This bill exempts the H-2A
program from suspension.
Several members of the House
Freedom Caucus proposed the same
thing but included cessation of the H-2A
program as well.
Both proposals are based on the same
false premise. They seek to advance the
notion that with U.S. unemployment at
record levels, there are more than enough
workers available to do farm work.
The National Council of Agricultural
Employers (NCAE) requested all 50 State
Workforce Agencies (SWA) provide us
with the total number of agricultural work
referrals they had made for the tens of
thousands of open positions this spring. We
also asked the SWAs to provide us with the
same information for the prior year when
U.S. unemployment was at a record low.
We are still receiving responses but have
heard from 23 states so far. The members
of Congress who sponsored the legislation
may be stunned.
Total referrals of domestic workers
reported by these 23 states in 2020
declined by 22% over the same period
last year. This occurred as total U.S.
unemployment was at its highest level in
U.S. history. NCAE will share results with
the Congress.
This situation highlights the critical
need for farmers and ranchers to engage
with political leaders and get them out of
Washington, D.C., and into our fields,
orchards, barns and pastures. What
might seem simple, is not. We need to
connect this disconnect and must all do
our part. VGN
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September 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2020