While it’s not the only challenge facing farmers and the ag industry, ag labor reform is probably at the top of the list.
Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council, says the biggest hurdle in getting that fix has been a Congressional reluctance to do it until the southern border was secured.
“The Trump Administration, to their credit, has secured the southern border, and now we really want Congress to follow through on those statements they’ve made to farmers across the United States here for literally a decade.”
So now, Quarles says they have a great opportunity right in front of them.
“If we can get ag labor reform right, both the guestworker side and the undocumented, improperly documented workforce and all of the security requirements that come with that, the tailwind that that will create for U.S. agriculture and the country overall is amazing.”
Quarles says this would be great for the industry, for the country, and for consumers.
For everyone talking about the affordability crisis, if you can get ag labor right, you are going to make U.S. farms deliver food to folks’ dinner tables in a very, very competitive way.”