Agricultural News
Farmer Co-ops Join Other Ag Groups Urging Action on the Ag Labor Crisis
Wed, 13 Jul 2022 09:34:52 CDT
The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) today joined with the American Business Immigration Coalition, the International Fresh Produce Association, AmericanHort and the National Council of Agricultural Employers in urging Senate action to address the agricultural labor crisis.
The call came during a press conference with Representative Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), a strong proponent of ag labor reform and a key leader in crafting the bipartisan, House-passed Farm Workforce Modernization Act (FWMA). The event was meant to rally support for the efforts of Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) to introduce a Senate bill that builds on FWMA.
"For the past decade or so, I have had the privilege of bringing a wide range of agriculture groups together to work on a solution to the ag labor crisis in a united effort," said Chuck Conner, president and CEO of NCFC at the news conference. "Yet, it's the events of the past few years, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the war in Ukraine, that have highlighted for me a fact that often gets overlooked in this debate-our national security is tied to our ability to feed ourselves, and that ability is currently under threat from the ag labor crisis.
"Action is critical for another reason," Conner continued. "Next year, Congress will be writing the 2023 farm bill. If the past is any guide, it will include dozens of programs critical to ensuring food security, from crop insurance to conservation, from research to nutrition. But, without action, hanging over the process will be one issue-ag labor-that threatens to undermine every program in that legislation. Quite simply, America's farmers, ranchers, growers and co-ops cannot survive, let alone thrive, without a workforce. That is why this effort by Senators Crapo and Bennett-and subsequent Senate action-is so important. It will address a growing crisis, enhance this country's food security, provide the foundation for the success of the next farm bill, and provide a measure of certainty for producers at a time of great uncertainty."
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