The U.S. State Department has addressed the H-2A issue that was created when the U.S. suspended routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa processing services in Mexico in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  After hearing concerns from several agricultural groups about how this would negatively impact the agriculture industry, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security has…

NMPF Proposal to Improve H-2A for Dairy Advances Thanks to Rep. Newhouse

In a meeting with Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), National Milk Producers Federation President and CEO Jim Mulhern expressed appreciation on behalf of the nation’s dairy farmers for the congressman’s work to advance NMPF’s proposal to expand the H-2A farm worker visa program to include year-round employees on dairy farms. During consideration Wednesday of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s…

H-2A Visa Program May Be Expanded

The House Appropriations Committee adopted an amendment to the fiscal 2018 Homeland Security Spending Bill that would help dairy producers and other farmers that need year round labor. The amendment would expand the types of businesses that can apply for the H-2A visa program for temporary or seasonal workers. Politico’s Morning Ag Report says it would also nullify the requirement that the work…