USDA To Discontinue Farm Labor Survey — What This Means

USDA has announced the discontinuation of the Farm Labor Survey. The announcement was carried out via a public inspection notice filed in the Federal Register. In the notice, the Farm Labor Survey is cited as dated with origins tracing to the 19th century. The notice goes on to point out the survey was not designed for the current state of agriculture or labor.

USDA’s decision follows another recent major development in which a court in Louisiana vacated the Department of Labor’s 2023 Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology rule.

In light of the latest development, some ag industry associations are speaking up. Here is what a few have to say.

Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA): “The Department of Agriculture’s decision to discontinue the Farm Labor Survey (FLS) is a significant advancement toward meaningful relief for Florida’s specialty crop growers,” says Jamie Fussell, Director of labor relations for FFVA.

“For years, FFVA and its members have objected to the Department of Labor’s reliance on the FLS to set the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, which has artificially inflated the AEWR beyond market realities and strained growers, pushing some to leave the industry. We applaud Secretary Rollins’ leadership and recognition of the urgent labor crisis facing agriculture. We urge the DOL to take the critical next steps of fundamentally reassessing what constitutes adverse effect and implementing a lasting solution that allows growers to continue farming in this modern era of agriculture.”

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Georgia Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA): “We have worked for years to gain a better understanding of the AEWR process that has resulted in massive increases, over 30% in three years for Georgia growers, but the process and resulting increases have remained a frustrating mystery” says Chris Butts, Executive Vice President of GFVGA.

“The AEWR increases in Georgia have pushed growers to the brink and have rendered the H-2A program unsustainable. We are grateful to Secretary Rollins and her team at USDA for demonstrating the leadership to bring an end to these unfair wages and to help restore a level playing field for our rural agricultural communities.”

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What are your thoughts about USDA’s decision to suspend the Farm Labor Survey? Leave a comment below.