Your March 5 article, “Farm labor supplier opposes new ag workforce bill,” is a one-sided portrayal of the newly reintroduced Farm Workforce Modernization Act (FWMA) and does a disservice to your readers, including the agricultural employers the bill would help.

The article is correct that “many farm groups support the bill.” We are in good company with more than 250 other state and national groups. That’s because it will stabilize the current workforce and bring needed reforms to the H-2A program, including containing costs. In fact, if the FWMA had been enacted after it passed the House in 2019, the H-2A wage rate in Oregon and Washington would be $15.52 instead of the current $16.34. Oregon and Washington’s rates are the highest in the country, increasing an average of 5.4% annually over the past decade. The FWMA would cap that at 3.25 percent.

FWMA streamlines the H-2A program, reduces bureaucracy, and saves time and money for growers. This is particularly significant for smaller growers with limited staff and resources. For employers still relying on a domestic, though possibly undocumented, workforce, the sleepless nights are real. Growers know that through no fault of their own they might have nobody to harvest their crop. The FWMA provides stability and peace of mind to the grower, but importantly also to the worker. And with a future work requirement and payment of a fine, this is anything but amnesty.

No legislation is perfect, including the FWMA. Passing it through the House is the first step. The Senate process will offer opportunities for further improvements and we have our list ready to go. Our collective members are hurting. They need stability and economic relief today. They cannot afford to endure the worsening status quo for another 20 years in the hopes that a perfect employer-friendly bill will manifest itself. Our bet is on the FWMA — the only agricultural labor bill to pass the House in 30 years — and its author, Congressman Dan Newhouse.

Jim Bair, President,

U.S. Apple Association

Jon DeVaney, President,

Washington State Tree Fruit Association

Mark Powers, President,

Northwest Horticultural Council