The executive director of the Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board, Jamie Clover Adams, has highlighted the financial strain on farmers due to a nearly 40 percent increase in H-2A wages over the past five years. In an interview with Brownfield at the MSU Farm Labor Conference, Adams expressed concern over the impact of these wage hikes on growers, rural communities, and workers in the processing and packing sectors. She noted efforts to raise awareness and advocate for measures to address the wage rate issue.
Adams pointed to the Supporting Farm Operations Act, introduced in the U.S. House by Congressman John Moolenaar, as a potential source of short-term relief. The legislation, which enjoys widespread support from Michigan's Congressional delegation, aims to mitigate the financial challenges posed by H-2A wage increases. Adams underscored the competitive disadvantage faced by Michigan farmers, who pay more than 80 percent above the state's minimum wage and the fourth-highest rate in the country for H-2A labor.
Source: Brownfield