“Today, the Department of Labor released the 2025 mandatory wage rates that farmers must pay in the H-2A program. The rates now average nearly $20 per hour nationwide and continue to rise at rates much faster than the national average. For some farmers, these wage rates will go into effect immediately; for others, they become effective in 14 days. America’s farmers, ranchers, and agricultural employers are committed to paying a fair wage for the men and women who choose to work for them. However, the DOL’s haphazard process to implement the new wage rates follows several federal court decisions that found the new H-2A regulations to be illegal and demonstrates how the department administers the program in an illogical and inequitable manner, ultimately harming the competitiveness of American farmers. The new Administration needs to correct the DOL’s regulatory overreach, and Congress must adopt needed reforms to ensure the future viability of America’s family farms.”
About the Agriculture Workforce Coalition
The Agriculture Workforce Coalition (AWC) brings together organizations representing the diverse needs of agricultural employers across the country. AWC serves as the unified voice of agriculture in the effort to ensure that America’s farmers, ranchers and growers have access to a stable and secure workforce. For more information, please visit www.agworkforcecoalition.org.
