Immigration
The debate over immigration and ag labor reform has been a political hot potato for decades now and has led to inaction by Congress, but leaders of the House and Senate Ag Committees say they are making it a priority for 2026.
In recent years, discussions around the slowing growth rate of the U.S. labor force have intensified, igniting concerns over potential economic impacts.
At least nine dairies in Texas were targets of I-9 audits over the weekend. Producers argue it’s a “broken” immigration system, and the recent audits prove the E-Verify program has flaws. Despite criticism, the dairy industry is pushing to be included in the H-2A guest worker program.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says the administration plans to announce some updates soon to make the guestworker program more efficient and easier to use.
The on-again, off-again reports regarding ICE raids is sowing confusion for those who rely on immigrant labor and causing labor shortages because employees aren’t showing up for work.
After a week of ICE seemingly targeting dairy farms, California produce farms and a meat packing plant in Nebraska, President Donald Trump is reportedly ordering the Department of Homeland Security to exclude farms from immigration raids.
The Nebraska was the “largest worksite enforcement operation” in the state during the Trump presidency, the Homeland Security Department said. U.S. Congressman Don Bacon told local media 75-80 people were detained.
Since being confirmed on Feb. 13, Secretary Rollins has been in the Washington D.C., USDA office for a few hours. Most of her time has been spent visiting farmers, ranchers and ag businesses in Kentucky, Kansas and at Top Producer Summit.
As Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president, he’s not expected to impose China-specific tariffs on his first day in office, signaling a strategic shift toward engagement with Beijing rather than reigniting a trade war.
Nearly half of all farmworkers are undocumented, and industries such as dairy and meatpacking plants are especially vulnerable to labor shortages.
The decision was made by U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, who found the rule unconstitutional because it conflicted with the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) by granting collective bargaining rights to farmworkers.
Despite shifting sentiment on immigration, demographic trends will necessitate a moderate path on immigration.
President Biden delivered a defiant argument for a second term in his SOTU speech Thursday. From the economy to his thoughts on infrastructure, the border and climate, there were several key takeaways for agriculture.
The debate over immigration continues to be an issue in Washington. However, the Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows economists are still skeptical it’s enough for Congress to act on immigration reform.
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Jesse Larios, a California cattle farmer, shares about his deep roots in agriculture and the contributions his Latino and Latina brothers and sisters have made in the industry.
Mexican President López Obrador hosted President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau this week to discuss everything from methane reduction to the U.S./Mexico border wall.
President Biden traveled on Sunday to the U.S./Mexico border amid a surge in illegal border crossings. The administration announced a new program for up to 30,000 migrants a month to enter the U.S. legally.
American Farm Bureau Federation sent a letter to the Biden administration saying the increase in undocumented immigration is severely impacting farm and ranch families, putting property and personal safety at risk.
A second bill to change the H-2A guest worker program has been introduced in the House. This version would move oversight from the Department of Labor to USDA.
In a Kansas meat packing town immigrants are being offered free translators for driving exams through a volunteer program.
President Donald Trump’s vow to accelerate construction of a “contiguous, physical wall” along the Mexican border is slamming into a Washington reality _ who’s going to pay for it and how?