The Farm Workforce Modernization Act now moves to the Senate, where its future remains uncertain.
It passed the House last night with 174 members voting against it.
The bill gives green cards to long-time ag workers and provides temporary legal status for others. During, debate, non-farm lawmakers pointed to the current border crisis as a reason to block the bill.
Ranking Ag Committee member “GT” Thompson admits that the bill is not perfect and hopes the Senate will make some changes.
“It will not fully address the shortage of legal agricultural workers, it may leave our farmers and ranchers, especially our dairies, with critical, unmet needs. I filed an amendment that would have addressed these deficiencies; it was endorsed by the American Farm Bureau Federation. Though not made an order, I hope the amendment will serve as a starting point in the Senate for necessary improvements,” Rep. Thompson states.
Ahead of the vote, more than 350 farms and ag groups signed a letter expressing their support for the bill. The American Farm Bureau Federation was not one of them.
Related:
There is a split over the Farm Workforce Modernization Act
National Milk Producers on reintroducing the Farm Workforce Modernization Act
Farm workforce bill getting addressed with different legislation
Ag industry supports easing requirements on labor visas