The chairman of the Michigan Blueberry Growers Association has highlighted the growing concerns within the sector, pointing to the rising costs of labor and operational expenses as potential threats to the viability of local growers. According to Bill Fritz, who operates a sixth-generation family farm established in 1956, the industry is grappling with several critical issues, including the inefficacy of the H-2A program in addressing the labor shortage. This predicament has forced his farm, which previously offered custom harvesting services across West Michigan, to alter its business model due to the scarcity of labor and competition from Peruvian imports.
Fritz's reliance on the H-2A guest worker program over the last five years has significantly increased labor costs, nearly 80 percent above the state's minimum wage, impacting the farm's sustainability. He expressed concerns over the possibility of further wage increases under the H-2A program, which could exacerbate the financial strain. The compounded effect of rising labor costs and operational expenses, including fuel and fertilizer, has created a challenging environment for growers. Fritz advocates for a unified H-2A wage rate across the United States, as opposed to the current regional differentiation, to alleviate some of the financial pressures faced by the industry.
Source: Brownfield