An Arkansas Republican who's co-leading a House Agriculture Committee working group on farm labor says the ongoing problems at the U.S-Mexico border make it harder for lawmakers to address producers' need for more workers.
“We have now basically outsourced our labor on the farm,” Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., said on this week's Agri-Pulse Newsmakers. “But that shouldn't be conflated with illegal immigration, people coming across the border,” where, he said the situation “is as bad as you think it is – and maybe worse.”
“And so that does complicate the support for an H-2A program,” he said.
The bipartisan working group released an interim report in November summarizing findings from a survey and a series of roundtables that will be used to formulate the group's final recommendations.
Crawford also said Congress will need to pass another continuing resolution next week to keep USDA and other departments and agencies from having to shut down.
Congress has yet to pass any of its fiscal 2024 appropriations bills. Under a continuing resolution enacted in November, departments and agencies covered by the Agriculture, Energy-Water, Transportation-HUD and Military Construction measures are funded through next Friday. Departments and agencies covered by the remaining eight FY24 bills are funded through Feb. 2.
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"We're probably going to have to end up in another short-term CR scenario, because trying to move [appropriations bills] between now and the 19th – well, heck, that's next week," Crawford said.
Roger Szemraj, principal at OFW Law, said that while Congress is still working through FY24 appropriations levels, it won’t be long before FY25 levels are due.
He expects the president to release his budget in early March, which corresponds with State of the Union address, which will be held on March 7.
“You often have the State of the Union as the kickoff to what's going to be the policy promotions coming forward,” said Szemraj. He says that should add some urgency in the schedule to move appropriations bills forward.
“The House wants to get to all bills individually. That means that the committees are going to have to move quickly, and that means that the floor time is going to have to be reserved for appropriation bills,” said Szemraj.
He said the key point to watch is whether or not House leadership will agree to FY25 levels that were set in the Fiscal Responsibility Act. If they don’t, there could be another battle over spending reductions.
Kristi Boswell, counsel with Alston & Bird, was also on this week’s show to further discuss the latest developments with farm labor.
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