Fixing the broken ag labor system a top NPC priority
On June 23, U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) and nine co-sponsors – Reps. Newhouse (WA-4), Costa (CA-21), Simpson (ID-2), Panetta (CA-19), Valadao (CA-22), Carbajal (CA-24), Duarte (CA-13), Cuellar (TX-28), and Nadler (NY-12) – reintroduced the Farm Workforce Modernization Act (H.R.4319).
The NPC-backed legislation was passed by the House of Representatives during both the 116th and 117th Congresses but was unsuccessful in moving through the Senate.
“The top concern for farmers and ranchers in Central Washington and across the nation is labor, and the problem is only getting worse. As a third-generation farmer, I know first-hand how challenging it is for the agriculture industry to hire and retain labor so we can continue to feed America and the world,” said Rep. Dan Newhouse in a press release. “The Farm Workforce Modernization Act is the solution to creating a secure, reliable agriculture labor program to provide certainty to our farmers and ranchers for a stable and legal workforce for years to come.”
“Fixing the broken ag labor system remains a top priority for U.S. potato growers, U.S. agriculture, and the country as a whole,” said NPC VP of Legislative Affairs Dean Gibson. “America’s food supply chain is only as strong as the workers who are relied upon to grow and harvest our crops, and NPC remains committed to advocating for solutions that will ensure a reliable, efficient supply of labor for years to come.”
