Alarming Proposed Changes to H-2A Program

Many may recall the egregious proposal for changes to the Child Labor Law that the Department of Labor had attempted several years ago? Well their attention has now turned to the H-2A non-immigrant workers program and last week the DOL proposed significant changes to regulations. American Sheep Industry Association Executive Director says
Orwick: “The sheep herder program with non-immigrant workforce has been around since the 1950s. It’s been over 60 years since Americans have been willing to herd sheep full time. And because we were so much earlier than the rest of agriculture, we developed a program that works and because of that the sheep industry has the most legal workforce of American agriculture. What is the reward and recognition for doing the paper work and having legal employees? It is a dramatic re-write of the very program that allows us to be legal in the first place.”
The industry needs people to comment now
Orwick: “It is a major rule and we need more than the very minimum 30 days for comments. So we are contacting Congress and the Department of Labor asking for an extension of the comment period so we can comment to all of the issues. Secondly, letting the Department know through the comment process tripling the wages is going to shut the ranches and with it the herding program that they are trying to change.”
Comments to this proposed rule must be submitted on or before May 15. The sheep and livestock industries are working to provide a consistent and powerful message regarding the impact of these substantial changes. Further details are available at the Legislative Action Center on www.sheepusa.org.