Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05)
Press Release
Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) and her colleagues on the bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group
(ALWG) released a final report that details policy recommendations to address workforce issues facing the nation’s ag producers. The report comes after months of engaging with stakeholders, employers, and workers from across the country – particularly focusing on ways to modernize the H-2A visa program for nonimmigrant agricultural workers. Chavez-DeRemer helped lead several of the recommendations that were ultimately included in the report.
“I’m proud of the work this group has done to find areas of consensus on this complex issue. It’s an important step forward as we continue working to address the labor shortages facing farms and ranches across the country,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “As I’ve said from the beginning, we must ensure the program is effective for both workers and employers who produce the food necessary to feed the world. These recommendations, including several that I helped propose, reflect that goal and will serve as a helpful guide when crafting future legislation.”
Chavez-DeRemer was one of 14 members of the House Agriculture Committee to be selected to serve as a member of the working group. She successfully led a proposal that would require the Department of Labor (DOL) to consult with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and allow the USDA to provide written comments before proposing new regulations that make changes to the H-2A program.
Additional adopted proposals that Chavez-DeRemer co-led included:
- Federal Heat Standard for H-2A Workers: The ALWG recommended the creation of a federal heat standard for H-2A workers to protect them from extreme temperatures.
- Granting Year-Round Industries Access to the H-2A Program: The ALWG recommended expanding access to the H-2A program so more industries can have a steady workforce.
The report has been lauded by many industry leaders and associations
, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Milk Producers Federation, the International Fresh Produce Association, the National Council of Agricultural Employers, the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, and the International Dairy Foods Association. The full report is available HERE
.
Chavez-DeRemer is also a cosponsor of the Farm Workforce Support Act, which would require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to analyze deficiencies of the H-2A visa program and provide a report to Congress.
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