Boozman Fights to Stabilize Ag Labor Costs

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) joined Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) in introducing legislation to stabilize agriculture labor costs by providing farmers greater certainty and clarity when forecasting this critical operating expense as they plan for future growing seasons.

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The Farmworker Access and Retention Modernization (FARM) Stability Act would codify the Trump administration's interim regulation by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to amend the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker program Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) determining methodology.

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"Farmers are extremely resourceful and resilient, but their success depends on circumstances beyond their control. Ensuring they can secure a dependable agriculture workforce will lift a major burden on them and help provide needed certainty. I'm proud to join Senator Budd in championing the FARM Stability Act to bring reliable and affordable labor to farm operations across the country," Boozman said.

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"As labor costs continue to climb, our nation's farmers and ranchers deserve to know the price tag associated with keeping their operations going. Agriculture is North Carolina's leading industry and a cornerstone of our economy, but without a stable, reliable workforce, our producers cannot plan, threatening both their livelihoods and our nation's food supply. The DOL has helped provide farmers with the transparency they deserve, but now we must ensure agricultural labor costs remain affordable by passing the FARM Stability Act," Budd said.

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Farmers have been facing rapidly rising labor costs, driven in large part by mismanagement in calculating the AEWR used in the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker program. Boozman joined Budd and a bicameral group of lawmakers to urge the department to rescind enforcement of Biden-era regulations that dramatically increased costs for American farmers and created obstacles for producers seeking to enroll in the H-2A visa program.

DOL's Interim Final Rule (IFR) established an annual adjustment to the hourly AEWR and created separate wage scales for entry-level and experienced H-2A workers, providing much-needed clarity for the agricultural industry. The FARM Stability Act would codify this rule.

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The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tim Scott (R-SC), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Roger Wicker (R-MS).

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The Agricultural Workforce Coalition, Arkansas Farm Bureau and Agriculture Council of Arkansas are supportive of the bill.

"We applaud Senator John Boozman for his leadership and willingness to cosponsor the Farmworker Access and Retention Modernization (FARM) Stability Act. Arkansas farmers and ranchers depend on a stable and reliable workforce, and this legislation provides a practical, long-term solution to address ongoing labor challenges in agriculture. We thank Senator Boozman for recognizing the importance of this issue and for standing with Arkansas agriculture," said Arkansas Farm Bureau President Dan Wright.

"The FARM Stability Act is a critical step to ensuring our ability to produce food and fiber and compete in the global marketplace. Inflationary pressures, including labor through poorly structured formulas, has placed many farm operations at great risk. This legislation will help mitigate cost of production risks while ensuring appropriate conditions for those who work in agriculture. It's a commonsense solution for American agriculture," said Agriculture Council of Arkansas President Joe Mencer.

Permalink: https://www.boozman.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2026/4/boozman-fights-to-stabilize-ag-labor-costs