Labor Archives - Specialty Crop Industry https://specialtycropindustry.com/category/labor/ Vegetable and Specialty Crop News Thu, 05 Oct 2023 18:58:08 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 116110416 GFVGA Leader: Information is Key When Managing Labor-Related Issues https://specialtycropindustry.com/gfvga-leader-information-is-key-when-managing-labor-related-issues/ Fri, 06 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=23188 By Clint Thompson The Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA) wants to help its specialty crop farmers stay compliant with H-2A and other federal regulations. The Georgia Ag Labor Relations Forum is designed to provide producers all the information they need to remain on the right side of compliance. The annual two-day event, scheduled for Nov. 14-15 at the ...

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]]> 23188 Georgia Ag Labor Relations Forum Scheduled for Nov. 14-15 https://specialtycropindustry.com/georgia-ag-labor-relations-forum-scheduled-for-nov-14-15/ Tue, 29 Aug 2023 14:15:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=22826 By Clint Thompson Georgia agriculture (Ag) employers should mark their calendars for the upcoming Georgia Ag Labor Relations Forum, scheduled for Nov. 14-15, at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center. The two-day event attracts regulators and experts affiliated with the labor industry. The forum’s format enables employers, human resource managers and administrators to collaborate in securing a sustainable ...

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]]> 22826 Miami-Dade County Proposes Heat Standard for Outdoor Workers https://specialtycropindustry.com/miami-dade-county-proposes-heat-standard-for-outdoor-workers/ Thu, 27 Jul 2023 10:00:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=22602 The Miami-Dade County Commission unanimously passed the first reading of an ordinance last week that would create a heat standard for outdoor workers. The big picture: Miami-Dade County has an estimated 327,321 outdoor workers. The ordinance would cover the approximately 80,000 who work in agriculture and construction. The ordinance would require certain agriculture and construction employers to provide access to ...

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]]> 22602 Labor Forum to Feature Workshops on Heat Illness Prevention https://specialtycropindustry.com/labor-forum-to-feature-workshops-on-heat-illness-prevention/ Wed, 26 Jul 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=22594 Heat awareness and safety concerns continue to be a priority for agricultural employers and their employees. Producers can learn more about heat illness prevention during the 49th Annual Agricultural Labor Relations Forum, scheduled for Sept. 6-8, 2023 at the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek. Attendees will learn of the hazards associated with heat illness, resources for employers, compliance and ...

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]]> 22594 Chairman Thompson, Ranking Member Scott Announce Bipartisan Working Group Tackling Agriculture Workforce Challenges https://specialtycropindustry.com/chairman-thompson-ranking-member-scott-announce-bipartisan-working-group-tackling-agriculture-workforce-challenges/ Tue, 27 Jun 2023 15:30:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=22367 House Committee on Agriculture Chairman GT Thompson (PA-15) and Ranking Member David Scott (GA-13) released a joint statement last week after announcing the formation of the bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group, which is focusing on the workforce issues faced by the nation’s Ag producers: “The Committee on Agriculture has heard loud and clear from producers across the nation that one ...

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]]> 22367 Grower Calls for H-2A Fix, Labor Reform https://specialtycropindustry.com/grower-calls-for-h-2a-fix-labor-reform/ Mon, 05 Jun 2023 11:00:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=22195 By Frank Giles There’s a farm labor crisis facing American agriculture. Adam Lytch was among the growers who took that message to Washington, D.C., on May 31 to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Lytch, regional manager at L&M Farms, called on lawmakers to consider comprehensive immigration reform that recognizes the needs of farmers who grow the domestic food supply. Lytch, ...

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]]> 22195 Chairman of House Committee on Ag: AEWR Change a Threat to Food Security https://specialtycropindustry.com/chairman-of-house-committee-on-ag-aewr-change-a-threat-to-food-security/ Wed, 26 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=21847 By Clint Thompson Looming Congressional Review Act resolutions could reverse recent changes to the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR). But it will require specialty crop producers and industry leaders speaking out against substantial pay increases that could force some farmers to close up shop. GT Thompson, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, shared that belief during Monday’s Farm Bill ...

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]]> 21847 New AEWR Harmful to Farmers’ Future https://specialtycropindustry.com/new-aewr-harmful-to-farmers-future/ Wed, 05 Apr 2023 11:30:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=21638 The newly implemented Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) will negatively impact specialty crop producers across the U.S. That’s the belief shared by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). “We are disappointed in DOL’s (Department of Labor) final rule on the AEWR methodology,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “This administration says it wants to help family farms, but its agency largely ...

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]]> 21638 GA Senators Pass Resolution for Farmworker Awareness Week https://specialtycropindustry.com/ga-senators-pass-resolution-for-farmworker-awareness-week/ Tue, 04 Apr 2023 14:30:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=21619 Georgia Senators Sam Watson (District 11), Shelly Echols (District 49), Larry Walker III (District 20), Lee Anderson (District 24) and Russ Goodman (8th District) filed a resolution last week that recognized March 25-31, 2023, as Farmworker Awareness Week. Watson, managing partner of Chill C Farms in Moultrie, Georgia, who produces squash, zucchini, bell pepper, cabbage, eggplant and cucumbers, highlighted the ...

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]]> 21619 GFVGA Leader Concerned for Growers With Complicated H-2A Program https://specialtycropindustry.com/gfvga-leader-concerned-for-growers-with-complicated-h-2a-program/ Wed, 22 Mar 2023 10:00:00 +0000 https://specialtycropindustry.com/?p=21525 By Clint Thompson The convoluted and sometimes perplexing nature of the H-2A program has Chris Butts concerned about the ramifications of one misstep by his producers. Butts, executive vice president of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (GFVGA), continues to voice his concerns with how the methodology is constructed to determine the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR); the expense ...

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