The American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC) Agricultural Council endorsed the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act. The bill, sponsored by U.S House Agriculture Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, addresses persistent workforce challenges faced by farmers, through modernizations to the H-2A visa program and expanded access to a year-round workforce.
“Today, about 70 percent of workers in the U.S. farm sector are foreign-born, with nearly 40 percent being undocumented. Farmers are struggling to maintain workforce stability in a sector where a single day’s delay can ruin a harvest, and where daily, time-sensitive tasks cannot wait,” said Rebecca Shi, CEO of ABIC Action. “As Americans face rising grocery bills, the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act finally opens the door to address the urgent needs of farmers by providing workers a path to legal status to keep food on tables across this nation.”
“For years, farmers have asked Congress for practical solutions that reflect the realities of today’s agricultural workforce,” said Beverly Idsinga, Executive Director of New Mexico Dairy Producers. “The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act is an important step toward giving farmers and agriculture producers the stability they need to continue feeding America while strengthening our rural economies.”
Farmers and ranchers across the country are struggling with chronic labor shortages that threaten the economic vitality of rural communities and our food supply nationwide. In 2025, only 182 domestic job applications were submitted to fill nearly 415,000 advertised agricultural positions. The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act will address these challenges modernizing the H-2A visa program to be more responsive to the realities of today’s agricultural economy, and expanding access to a stable, year-round workforce for sectors such as dairy, livestock, and other operations that require employees beyond seasonal work.
“July 4th is a national holiday marking the history of our country. On any holiday, no matter how early or how late, cows still need to be milked and food still needs to be produced year-round every single day,” said Matt Teagarden, CEO of the Kansas Livestock Association (KLA). “A stable workforce that farmers can rely on, one where workers feel secure in their status without fear, will provide real relief for our agricultural sector, farmers, and ranchers. This is a step forward that acknowledges what Americans already know: immigrants are essential to agriculture.”
“A secure food supply depends on a secure, legal, and reliable workforce,” said Brian Gannon, Vice President of Government Relations at LaborMex. “America’s farmers need practical workforce solutions that recognize the realities of modern agriculture. This legislation represents a large step toward strengthening our food supply, supporting agricultural employers, providing lawful opportunities for seasonal workers, and ensuring consumers continue to benefit from a stable domestic food production system. We encourage Congress to move this legislation forward.”
The ABIC Agricultural Council urges Congress to pass this meaningful agricultural workforce reform. Providing farmers with legal, reliable access to workers while creating certainty for the experienced employees already contributing to our food system is essential to ensuring America’s agricultural sector remains competitive for generations to come.
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