The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the allocation of $50 million to 141 awardees across 40 states and Puerto Rico through the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program (FLSP Program). This initiative aims to support 177 agricultural operations and over 11,000 workers, enhancing the resilience of the U.S. food supply chain by addressing labor challenges and instability, strengthening protections for farmworkers, and expanding legal pathways for labor migration.
“These awards will largely support small and mid-sized farms to ensure they can hire and retain the workers they need to be competitive in the market, while also lifting up rural communities across the country,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Farmworkers make an incredibly important contribution to food and agriculture and ensure we have food on our tables every day. Improving working conditions and quality of life for farmworkers, both U.S.-based workers and those that come to our country to work, is one key step in building a stronger, more resilient food supply chain. The Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program demonstrates the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting employers and farmworkers alike.”
The FLSP Program was introduced in September 2023 in coordination with other federal agencies. It addresses workforce needs in agriculture by promoting a safe work environment, ethical recruitment practices for farmworkers, and supporting lawful migration pathways through programs like the H-2A visa program. The program's design incorporated significant input from immigration, labor, and agricultural stakeholders.
The grants will fund various commitments aimed at improving benefits and protections for employees. These include:
- Establishing robust pay-related benefits such as personal and paid sick time off.
- Improving working conditions through employer-employee engagement initiatives.
- Providing additional worker-friendly benefits like management training opportunities.
- Supporting Know-Your-Rights-and-Resources training sessions.
- Participating in Worker-driven Social Responsibility programs.
- Disclosing recruitment practices to protect workers from exploitation.
Sixty percent of employer awardees planning to use the H-2A visa program have committed to recruiting workers from Northern Central America.
The USDA emphasizes its ongoing efforts under the Biden-Harris Administration to transform America's food system by focusing on resilient local production, fairer markets, access to nutritious food, climate-smart practices, infrastructure investments in rural America, and equity within the department.
