Farmworkers needed, shortage at Indiana farms now at crisis levels

For nearly two years, America’s producers have struggled to navigate rising input costs and a woefully unreliable stream of workers which has pushed the agricultural industry to a breaking point. As family farmers ourselves, we know firsthand that farmers in Indiana and nationwide are in trouble and recognize the pressure points that must immediately be alleviated to help this industry continue its vital work of feeding and clothing the world.

Right now, farmers can’t find enough workers to harvest their crops and food is going to waste in the field without being harvested, and our dairy farms and poultry ranches can’t find skilled workers to care for their animals despite offering competitive pay and benefits.

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Though the farmworker labor shortage is nothing new, it has now reached crisis levels, creating supply chain bottlenecks, empty store shelves and skyrocketing prices. Food costs 10% more than last year, the fastest rate of inflation in 40 years, and consumers are now feeling the aftershocks.

The laws governing immigration in the agricultural sector are outdated and haven’t been reviewed or updated in decades. Farmers and ranchers need better policies to meet workforce demands. What’s more, American families need healthy and nutritious meals at lower prices. A nation that cannot feed itself is not a secure nation.

The House of Representatives did its part in 2019 and 2021 when it passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act on a bipartisan basis. This bill would provide legal status for farm workers if they continue to work in agriculture and take steps to get right with the law. The bill also makes critical reforms to the H-2A guest worker program, including streamlining the application process and allowing for year-round temporary agricultural workers.