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Poultry, meat processors could benefit from new agriculture worker bill
Story Date: 4/29/2013
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Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 4/29/13
Groups that represent poultry and meat processors praised a bill introduced by House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) to create a new guest worker program, saying it would help establish a stable workforce and sustain the rural communities where many processing plants are located.
The "Agricultural Guestworker Act," would replace the H-2A program with a new program known as H-2C that would be administered by USDA.
The existing temporary programs for general labor skilled workers are for seasonal labor only. Under the proposed H-2C program, workers and employers would have more choices in their employment arrangements, creating more flexibility and making it easier for workers to move freely throughout the marketplace to meet demands, according to The Food Manufacturers Immigration Coalition.
The new program would support food manufacturers, cattle operations, dairies, hog and poultry farms and other year-round agricultural employers, according to a coalition statement.
"An effective occupational visa system may be the most important barrier to illegal immigration," the coalition said. "The right visa system with the right screening tools will in effect be a 'virtual border.' The 'Agricultural Guestworker Act' and the creation of the H-2C program would serve the diverse interests of the agriculture and food manufacturing industries and will boost the modern agriculture labor market."
The coalition said the H-2C program would give employers the opportunity to invest their time in training workers for jobs by allowing them an initial stay of 36 months. Workers would then be required to leave for up to three months. After the period of leave, each H-2C visa holder would only be required to leave once every 18 months. This would provide farm labor stability and would encourage illegal farm workers to identify themselves and participate in the H-2C program, according to the coalition.
The Food Manufacturers Immigration Coalition is composed of:
California Poultry Federation
Georgia Poultry Federation
National Cattlemen's Beef Association
National Chicken Council
National Pork Producers Council
National Turkey Federation
North American Meat Association
The Poultry Federation (Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma)
U.S. Poultry & Egg Association
Virginia Poultry Federation
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