© 2024 University of Missouri - KBIA
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Missouri and Kansas agriculture leaders urge U.S. Senate to approve changes to temporary labor visa

Enrique Sanchez, Intermountain State Director, ABIC - Action and son of a former farm worker, encouraged legislators to approve the Farm Workforce Modernization Act at a press conference in Kansas City, Missouri on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. "The agriculture sector is facing a devastating labor shortage. This must be urgently addressed to keep grocery store shelves stocked and lower food prices for Kansans, Missourians, and Americans everywhere," he said.
Kassidy Arena
/
ABIC-Action Facebook
Enrique Sanchez, Intermountain State Director, ABIC - Action and son of a former farm worker, encouraged legislators to approve the Farm Workforce Modernization Act at a press conference in Kansas City, Missouri on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022. "The agriculture sector is facing a devastating labor shortage. This must be urgently addressed to keep grocery store shelves stocked and lower food prices for Kansans, Missourians, and Americans everywhere," he said.

Farmers say Missouri and the Midwest are facing an agriculture labor shortage, which could increase food prices for the region.

Because of this labor shortage, some agriculture industry leaders are encouraging Kansas and Missouri’s U.S. senators to vote in favor of passing legislation to make it easier to hire out-of-country workers year-round, since finding domestic workers is becoming increasingly more difficult.

Last year, the U.S. House passed the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which would allow changes to the H-2A temporary worker program. It would make a few changes to the temporary work visa, including allowing for non-seasonal and non-temporary work opportunities. Supporters of the bill said this would help stabilize agricultural work.

Enrique Sanchez, the Intermountain State Director of American Business Immigration Coalition Action (ABIC-Action), said the labor shortages have been devastating farmers, making it difficult to fill up grocery store shelves. In turn, he warned, a limited supply can lead to increased food prices.

"This is not just about cost. These are national security issues as well. Food security is national security. A nation that cannot feed itself is not a nation that is secure," Sanchez said.

Sanchez, the son of a former farm worker, said the potential changes to H-2A visas would allow for more reliability for both the workers and the farmers.

Speakers at the press conference hosted by ABIC-Action in Kansas City, Missouri said the current H-2A requirements are burdensome for the agriculture industry throughout the state and the Midwest.

Lyndsi Oestmann, second-generation owner of Loma Vista Nursery and a member of AmericanHort, said the current H-2A visa program is challenging to work with. "There's red tape, uncertainty, lack of flexibility," she said. "The entire program is very burdensome for a company like mine to use. "
Kassidy Arena
/
ABIC-Action Facebook
Lyndsi Oestmann, second-generation owner of Loma Vista Nursery and a member of AmericanHort, said the current H-2A visa program is challenging to work with. "There's red tape, uncertainty, lack of flexibility," she said. "The entire program is very burdensome for a company like mine to use. "

Lyndsi Oestmann, the owner of Loma Vista nursery in Kansas— serves Missouri and other states throughout the Midwest.

"The horticulture industry faces challenges obtaining sufficient domestic workers, and we consistently report shortages of seasonal and production workers," she said.

Others in attendance in support of passing the bill included Lee Holtmeier of Linn Willow Creek Dairy, Kansas Livestock Association CEO Matt Teagarden, President and CEO of Loffredo Fresh Produce Co. Brian Loffredo, Laura Haffner of U.S. Custom Harvesters, Director of Government and Industry Affairs Livestock Marketing Association Pierce Bennett and Eric Stafford, the Vice President of Government Affairs, Kansas Chamber of Commerce.

U.S. Senate negotiations on the bill are ongoing.

Kassidy Arena was the Engagement Producer for KBIA from 2022-2023. In her role, she reported and produced stories highlighting underrepresented communities, focused on community outreach and promoting media literacy. She was born in Berkeley, California, raised in Omaha, Nebraska and graduated with a degree in Journalism at the University of Missouri, Columbia.
Related Content