To prevent bruising and ensure farmers can harvest their crop at its peak, apples intended for sale in fresh markets are picked by hand. Consequently, labor is among the biggest expenses for U.S. apple growers, accounting for up to a fourth of production costs. …
Since the onset of the pandemic, labor shortages have rattled the food industry. While employment at food manufacturing facilities increased significantly in 2022, the crippling effects of the workforce gap persist — frontline employees are stretched thin and companies may hire less-experienced temporary labor, significantly augmenting food safety risks. …
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, the third-largest dairy cooperative in the country, issued a statement after Congress left any agricultural workforce legislation out of the omnibus spending bill voted on earlier today. …
“This week the Senate will adjourn without finishing its work. The House twice passed bipartisan legislation to reform our broken agriculture labor system and the Senate failed to act. A good bill passed the House, and a better one was introduced in the Senate. To get right up to the finish line – but not cross it – is a bitter pill to swallow when the bill would have improved the ag workforce picture by every measure. …
The following remarks were made by USApple President & CEO Jim Bair today at a press conference on Capitol Hill. Bair joined other agriculture industry leaders, congressional members and farmers from across the nation urging the Senate to act immediately on labor reform legislation. More than 150 farmers, farm leaders and farm business owners are in Washington, D.C. the next two days meeting with lawmakers urging their support. …
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