Overview
- In Federal Register filings, the Department of Labor cites a "current and imminent labor shortage" and "immediate dangers" of supply‑shock‑induced food shortages.
- The filings attribute the shortage to the near‑cessation of undocumented inflows and intensified enforcement, with officials saying U.S. workers will not fill the gap.
- The department issued changes to farmworker wage policy under H‑2A and says the program needs reform to ensure a stable, lawful labor pipeline.
- Government data show farm employment fell by about 80,000 between January and August as H‑2A demand surged, including 320,700 applications in the first 10 months of fiscal 2025 with roughly 99% approved.
- Farmers report operational strains such as unpicked crops and unmilked cows, while the United Farm Workers warns wage changes would cut worker pay by $2.46 billion annually, and some growers say legal workers are staying away due to fear of ICE raids.