During the August Congressional Recess, the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation worked diligently to help Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Bob Goodlatte gather support for the Ag and Legal Workforce Act of 2018. The stand-alone legislation would create a new H-2C temporary work visa for United States agriculture.
USDA would administer the new H-2C program, expand its use in the livestock industry, and bring about numerous reforms to the old H-2A program. Federation President Mike McCormick filed a letter of support to Farm Bureau’s Congressional Delegation on August 13.
“The Ag and Legal Workforce Act of 2018 replaces the outdated and broken H-2A program with a reliable, efficient, and fair program known as ‘H-2C,’ ensuring that farmers and ranchers will have access to a legal, stable supply of workers for seasonal, as well as year-round work,” McCormick stated in the letter. “Although not perfect, this legislation is supported by Farm Bureau and will bring meaningful changes to the burdensome H-2A program. We urge you to sign on to this legislation as a co-sponsor and work to see it signed into law.”