Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02)
Today, Congressman Bill Huizenga (R-MI) announced he was joined by over 100 of his colleagues on a letter recently sent to House Appropriations leaders requesting an H-2A visa guestworker wage freeze in upcoming appropriations legislation. This simple policy fix would lower input costs for the agricultural community and save family farms across the nation. The level of support for freezing the H-2A wage rate is significant because it is bipartisan and represents the majority of the House Republican Conference (111). Last Congress, Huizenga led the charge to help family farms and achieved a policy win in legislation that passed the House Appropriations Committee.
The “Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR),” or the required wage that farm employers must pay H-2A workers, more than doubled since 2005, making agricultural labor and its products more unaffordable. With the nation’s average AEWR reaching $18.12/hr in 2025 (more than a 3% increase year over year) on top of other input costs including fuel, housing, and fertilizer also rising, many farms are in danger of going out of business. In Michigan, the AEWR is a steep $18.15/hr, while our Canadian neighbors pay their agricultural workers closer to $12/hr, or just a few dollars in Mexico. A temporary wage freeze is a reasonable way to alleviate this skyrocketing financial burden and give our farmers a chance to compete, stay in business, and put food on the table for millions of Americans and the world.
A signed copy of the letter is available here.
“In Michigan and across our nation, family farms are struggling due in part to soaring H2A labor costs,” said Congressman Bill Huizenga. “Washington should be working to help American farmers lower costs, not crushing them with outdated mandates that balloon their expenses and make it more difficult for these multigenerational farms to keep the lights on. I am proud to lead this bipartisan effort, which includes the majority of House Republicans, to provide the most immediate, practical, and agreed-upon way to enact relief and stop farms here in Michigan and around the country from shutting down their operations.”
“I have met with fifth and sixth-generation Michigan farmers who are worried they will be the last in their families to farm unless the Labor Department ends the policies making it harder for them to do business. An AEWR freeze, like the one in my Supporting Farm Operations Act, is a common-sense solution widely supported by the agriculture community. Thank you to Congressman Huizenga for leading this letter with dozens of members supporting our efforts. As our state’s only member of the House Appropriations Committee, I will continue to fight for much-needed relief for farmers,” said Congressman John Moolenaar.
“Michigan farmers are beginning another season filled with the hope of delivering safe, plentiful, and affordable crops for consumers. Nonetheless, the farm families and agricultural guest workers crucial for cultivating these crops find themselves in uncertainty due to unsustainable adverse effect wage rates. It is essential for farmers and workers to have a dependable and sensible method for calculating this mandated wage. The Michigan Farm Bureau commends Congressman Huizenga and Congresswoman Scholten for spearheading this effort, alongside many of their colleagues, to instigate necessary changes that will offer relief to America’s farm families,” said Matt Smego, Director of Public Policy & Commodity Division, Michigan Farm Bureau.
“Representative Bill Huizenga refuses to turn his back on Michigan and US vegetable and fruit growers. The AEWR must be paused to continue domestic vegetable and fruit production. The H-2A guest worker program functions pretty well, but the mandated AEWR no longer functions as envisioned. There is not enough of a domestic workforce left for the AEWR to prevent guest workers taking employment opportunities from the domestic workforce,” said Greg Bird, Executive Director of Michigan’s Vegetable Council.
“The bipartisan effort to freeze H-2A wages for farmworkers is encouraging to the Michigan Apple industry, with lawmakers from both parties showing an understanding of the unsustainable increases in costs to growers, as well as support for producers of food here in our state and across the country,” said Diane Smith of the Michigan Apple Association. “With labor costs accounting for approximately 56 percent of total production expenses for Michigan Apple growers, the Adverse Effect Wage Rate increases over the last 10 years threaten to put growers out of business. Most apple growers are losing money at this point – more than $1,800 per acre, as production costs continue to rise. We are so grateful for the continued support of the Michigan congress members, Representative Huizenga and Representative Scholten, who co-lead the effort, as well as other Michigan congress members from both sides of the aisle who have supported agriculture.”
“Michigan asparagus growers are facing a breaking point under the weight of the skyrocketing Adverse Effect Wage Rate,” said Jamie Clover Adams, CEO of the Michigan Asparagus Association. “Labor already accounts for nearly 60% of our growers’ total costs, and wage hikes—disconnected from market realities—are putting multi-generational family farms and rural economies at risk. We deeply appreciate Congressman Huizenga’s leadership in rallying bipartisan support for an H-2A wage freeze and urge Congress to act swiftly to support farms that grow hand-harvested fruits and vegetables.”
“An H-2A wage freeze provides cost predictability for our farmers, allowing them to budget and manage labor resources while ensuring they can continue to employ the necessary labor force for crop planting and harvest while a more permanent solution is investigated,” said Kelly Turner, Ed.D, CAE. Manager, Potato Growers of Michigan.
“Input costs, including labor, continue to rise as farm families struggle in this troubling farm economy. Without immediate action, these conditions threaten the livelihoods of farmers and their employees. Thankfully, members of Congress are willing to support critical relief until durable reforms are achieved. We are grateful for the consistent leadership of Rep. Huizenga and this bipartisan group of legislators who are standing against the status quo.” John Walt Boatright, American Farm Bureau Federation Director of Government Affairs
“AmericanHort commends Reps. Bill Huizenga (R-MI-04), for leading this bipartisan letter with over 100 Members of Congress requesting to freeze the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR),” said Ken Fisher, President and CEO, AmericanHort. “As labor and affiliated costs continue to put pressure on our growers and the horticulture industry, placing a freeze on the AEWR will ease the high cost of labor and aid growers in planning for the future.”
“International Fresh Produce Association members need Congress to rise to the occasion to prevent crippling cost increases that will put farms out of business and Congressman Bill Huizenga is leading the charge to do just that. By addressing the single biggest complaint from H-2A program users – uncontrollable wage labor costs – Congressman Huizenga’s bipartisan appropriations language will provide the relief we need today, while we work together to seek broader program reforms.” Rebeckah Adcock, Vice President, US Government Relations, International Fresh Produce Association
“Congress’ failure to modernize the H-2A visa program has led to unsustainable, perpetual annual wage increases that are driving American farmers out of business,” said Kasey Cronquist, president of the North American Blueberry Council. “Congressman Huizenga’s bipartisan effort to pause the Adverse Effect Wage Rate is more critical than ever. On behalf of the many blueberry growers across the country who rely on the H-2A program to harvest their crops, we thank every member of Congress who is standing up for American farmers by supporting this appropriations request,” said Kasey Cronquist, President of The North American Blueberry Council (NABC).
“We greatly appreciate Rep. Huizenga for leading this bipartisan effort to address the single biggest challenge facing apple growers nationwide. The unsustainable cost of the H-2A program is forcing multi-generational family farms to question whether they can keep going, let alone pass their operations on to the next generation. We urge Congress to enact this freeze and pursue common-sense H-2A reforms so we can continue supplying the world with America’s favorite fruit.” Jim Bair, President & CEO, U.S. Apple Association
“Out of control AEWR increases have made it nearly impossible for custom harvesters to afford the labor necessary to meet the harvest needs of our farmer customers across the country. Congress needs to act to provide H-2A wage relief as soon as possible,” said Paul Paplow, President U.S. Custom Harvesters Inc.
“Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) thanks Congressman Bill Huizenga for working in a bipartisan fashion to raise concerns on the skyrocketing Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) and its impacts on hardworking farm and ranch families,” said TFB President Russell Boening. “While TFB readily recognizes the need for comprehensive long-term H-2A labor reform, a freeze on the AEWR will provide critical short-term relief. If action is not taken, many farmers and ranchers will be forced out of business, putting our national food security at severe risk. We thank all the members of Congress who signed the letter and recognize the direness of the situation. TFB looks forward to our continued work with Congress on agricultural labor reform.”
Joining Congressman Huizenga on the letter are Representatives: Hillary Scholten (D-MI)[Co-Lead], Rick Crawford (R-AR)[Co-Lead], Patrick Ryan (D-NY)[Co-Lead], Rick Allen (R-GA), Don Bacon (R-NE), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Andy Barr (R-KY), Tom Barrett (R-MI), Michael Baumgartner (R-WA), Cliff Bentz (R-OR), Jack Bergman (R-MI), Sheri Biggs (R-SC), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Mike Bost (R-IL), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Kat Cammack (R-FL), Earl Carter (R-GA), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Andrew Clyde (R-GA), Mike Collins (R-GA), James Comer (R-KY), Monica De La Cruz (R-TX), Scott DesJarlais (R-TN), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Gabe Evans (R-CO), Mike Ezell (R-MS), Pat Fallon (R-TX), Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Brad Finstad (R-MN), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Russell Fry (R-SC), Russ Fulcher (R-ID), Craig Goldman (R-TX), Lance Gooden (R-TX), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Mike Haridopolos (R-FL), Pat Harrigan (R-NC), Mark Harris (R-MD), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Kevin Hern (R-OK), Clay Higgins (R-LA), J. Hill (R-AR), Erin Houchin (R-IN), Richard Hudson (R-NC), Jeff Hurd (R-CO), Brian Jack (R-KY), Ronny Jackson (R-TX), John James (R-MI), Dusty Johnson (R-SD), John Joyce (R-PA), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Trent Kelly (R-MS), Mike Kennedy (R-UT), Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA), Brad Knott (R-NC), David Kustoff (R-TN), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Nicholas Langworthy (R-NY), Robert Latta (R-OH), Michael Lawler (R-NY), Laurel Lee (R-FL), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Frank Lucas (R-OK), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Morgan Luttrell (R-TX), Nancy Mace (R-SC), John Mannion (D-NY), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Addison McDowell (R-NC), John McGuire (R-VA), Mark Messmer (R-IN), Daniel Meuser (R-PA), Mary Miller (R-IL), Max Miller (R-OH), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), Cory Mills (R-FL), Barry Moore (R-AL), Blake Moore (R-UT), Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), Gregory Murphy (R-NC), Troy Nehls (R-TX), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Zachary Nunn (R-IA), Gary Palmer (R-AL), August Pfluger (R-TX), Josh Riley (D-NY), Mike Rogers (R-AL), John Rose (R-TN), David Rouzer (R-NC), Maria Salazar (R-FL), Austin Scott (R-GA), Keith Self (R-TX), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Jefferson Shreve (R-IN), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), W. Steube (R-FL), Marlin Stutzman (R-IN), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Shri Thanedar (D-MI), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), William Timmons (R-SC), Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ), Randy Weber (R-TX), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Roger Williams (R-TX), Joe Wilson (R-SC), and Rudy Yakym (R-IN).
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