An investigation by Restoration News has announced support for reducing reliance on foreign farm labor by phasing out the H-2A visa program and promoting American workforce participation in agriculture. The announcement was made in a report.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, hired farm workers constitute less than 1% of all U.S. wage and salary workers but are essential to U.S. agriculture. In 2022, wages and salaries plus contract labor costs represented just 12% of production expenses for all farms, but 42% for greenhouse and nursery operations and 40% for fruit and tree nut operations. This highlights the significant role labor costs play in certain agricultural sectors.
The U.S. Department of Labor certified approximately 370,000 temporary agricultural jobs under the H-2A visa program in fiscal year 2022, more than seven times the number certified in 2005 and double the amount in 2016. This surge indicates a growing dependence on foreign labor in the U.S. agricultural sector.
The National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS) 2021–2022 found that a significant portion of crop workers are U.S.-born or naturalized citizens. Specifically, 32.1% were born in the U.S., and 6.7% were naturalized citizens, indicating that over 38% of crop workers are not foreign-born non-citizens. This suggests a substantial domestic workforce is already engaged in agriculture.
Restoration News is a project of Restoration of America, a conservative news outlet dedicated to investigative journalism on political news, immigration, and issues affecting everyday Americans. The organization emphasizes an America First perspective, aiming to provide news that aligns with conservative values and opinions. Restoration News focuses on delivering accurate and insightful exposés on topics such as immigration policies, labor markets, and governmental reforms.
