Kern County Times

WASHINGTON – On June 30, 2023, Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-22) joined Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Dan Newhouse (R-WA-04), Jim Costa (D-CA-21), Mike Simpson (R-ID-02), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19), Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24), John Duarte (R-CA-13), Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28), and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY-12) to reintroduce the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

The bill, which passed the House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support in the 116th and 117th Congresses, updates the H-2A agricultural guest worker program and is a compromise solution that provides needed stability for farmers and farmworkers.

“The current H-2A program's limitation to seasonal employment leaves many industries without the stable workforce that is vital to our food supply chain,” said Congressman Valadao. “Food security is national security, and agricultural labor shortages threaten our ability to grow food for the nation. The Farm Workforce Modernization Act is a commonsense solution that ensures our farmers have access to a legal and reliable workforce and streamlines the process for the future flow of workers.”

Congressman Valadao has long supported reforming the H-2A Visa Program. Just last week, Rep. Valadao spoke in an Appropriations Committee Markup about the importance of updating the H-2A program to include year-round employment. Watch his remarks here.

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act:

• Reforms the H-2A program to provide more flexibility for employers, while ensuring critical protections for workers.
• Establishes a program for agricultural workers in the United States to choose to earn legal status through continued agricultural employment and contribution to the U.S. agricultural economy.
• Focuses on modifications to make the program more responsive and user-friendly for employers and provides access to the program for industries with year-round labor needs.

Original source can be found here.