Congressional roundup — Ag worker visas
U.S. Reps. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, and Antonio Delgado, D-Rhinebeck, are among original co-sponsors of legislation to streamline the visa process for immigrant farm workers, a key priority for upstate New York farmers.
Farmers have said it is virtually impossible to get enough help without hiring immigrant laborers.
The legislation — HR 1603 — introduced March 8, would establish an electronic application and verification system for H-2A visas for temporary immigrant farm workers, allow for three-year visas to reduce costs for workers, switch from newspaper to electronic recruitment advertisements, and establish a program for ag workers to earn legal immigration status through continued agricultural employment.
“Stabilizing the workforce will protect the future of our farms and our food supply,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-California, who re-introduced the bill with Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington.
The legislation passed the House, but not the Senate, in the 2019–2020 Congress.
The legislation had 21 co-sponsors, as of March 11 — 11 Democrats and 10 Republicans.
In other agricultural legislation:
Stefanik and Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-Clinton, co-sponsored legislation Rep. Jim Hagedon, R-MN, introduced Feb. 26 to amend the Small Business Act to allow farmers and ranchers in partnerships to use an alternative calculation in order to qualify for maximum benefits under the Paycheck Protection Act, the federal COVID-19 relief program for businesses.
The legislation — HR 1411 — had 61 co-sponsors — 60 Republicans and one Democrat — as of March 11.
Stefanik is an original co-sponsor of legislation Rep. Rick Crawford, R-AR, introduced March 8 to establish an Office of Intelligence in the Department of Agriculture.
The office would monitor the domestic and global scene for possible threats of agricultural-related sabotage, biological contamination and theft of intellectual property, and would alert the Secretary of Agriculture of any immanent threats, according to Crawford’s office.
“This highly specialized office would work to understand any efforts to steal U.S. agriculture knowledge and technology and to develop or implement biological warfare attacks, cyber or clandestine operations, or other means of sabotaging and disrupting the agriculture industries,” a press release stated.
“In the North Country, we are especially fortunate to have safe and reliable access to abundant food supply thanks to our farmers and agribusinesses, but the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly taught us that the supply chain is vulnerable and must be protected,” Stefanik said, in a press release.
As of March 12 the legislation had ten co-sponsors — all Republicans.
Click here to read the most recent previous Congressional Roundup post.
Maury Thompson is a freelance writer who covers the 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd and 24th congressional districts of New York.
