Source: POLITICO'S MORNING AGRICULTURE, 2/27/19

Lawmakers and ag industry groups on the Hill on Tuesday talked up the need for a comprehensive legislative package to ease the chronic farm labor shortage by legalizing undocumented workers and supporting a steady flow of laborers from other countries.

"This isn't something we have the luxury of time to take to solve. This is hurting our industry as we speak," Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) said during a panel discussion.

What's on the table: Two ag labor bills introduced this year would address pieces of the broader issue, but a comprehensive measure has yet to materialize, Liz Crampton writes.

Senate Ag Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) said he thinks a bipartisan solution is possible: "If we can figure out a combination here that makes sense ... I think we can sell this," Roberts said.

POTUS on board: The effort could benefit from Trump's backing. At the annual American Farm Bureau Federation convention last month, the president scored one of his biggest rounds of applause of the day when he said he'll push for legislation to help producers hire foreign guest workers more easily.