MICHIGAN FARM BUREAU

Immigration

Michigan Farm Bureau continues to advocate for a long-term solution to our agricultural workforce needs. We continue to communicate to Congress on the out-of-control growth in the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) and challenges with the H-2A visa program. We are also concerned with a few recent rules from the Biden Administration and shared those concerns with Congress. Michigan Farm Bureau communicated with Congress in opposition to the Department of Labors rule regarding the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants (Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, Docket Number ETA-2021-0006). MFB is supporting a Congressional Resolution of Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) in opposition to the final AEWR rule and is encouraging Members of Congress to support it. The rule neglects to account for the fact that farm job descriptions often include many different responsibilities not just one role as the rule assumes. MFB is also supporting H.R. 7046 and S. 3848 the Supporting Farm Operations Act. The bill would pause the AEWR at the 2023 level thru the end of 2025. MFB has voiced concerns with Congress about a recent trend in denying TN (USMCA) visas for agricultural employees. Many farmers are using the program to bring skilled professionals to work on farms and agricultural businesses. The Department of State has been denying many of the applications this past year and this is leading to a shortage in workers for these businesses.

TargetedSENATE · HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Agriculture

Michigan Farm Bureau continues to advocate for the 2024 Farm Bill to be completed on time. MFB supported the one-year farm Bill extension and economic and disaster assistance to farmers that was included in H.R. 10545, the American Relief Act of 2025, a continuing resolution to fund the government through March 14, 2025. The legislation included over $30 million in economic and disaster assistance to farmers. Absent a full reauthorization of the Farm Bill, the one-year extension was supported by Farm Bureau because it provided economic certainty to our states farmers. We supported House Agriculture Committee passage of H.R. 8467, the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2024 (farm bill). Our priorities for the bill include: Increase baseline funding commitments to farm programs (reference price increase, commodity loan rates) as they have not kept up with inflation Maintain a unified, bipartisan farm bill which includes nutrition programs and farm programs together Prioritize funding for risk management tools which include both federal crop insurance and commodity programs (ARC, PLC, DMC) Ensure adequate USDA staffing capacity and technical assistance Maintain funding for voluntary, working lands conservation programs. Support trade promotion programs like Foreign Market Development (FMD) and Market Assistance Program (MAP) Ensuring adequate funding for the specialty crop industry with emphasis on fundamental research, marketing & promotion, and pest management programs Funding for ag research and education Support addressing interstate commerce issues impacting the livestock and poultry industry MFB supported the following bills: H.R. 4838, the Specialty Crop Security Act and H.R. 5199, the Specialty Crop Research Act, bills to increase funding of the specialty crop research in the Farm Bill. H.R. 4059 - a bill to include phosphate and potash on the final list of critical minerals of the Department of the Interior. We support this legislation as these minerals are critical for food production. H.R. 4739 and S.26 82 Protecting Americas Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act. The bill would make improvements to the USDA Tree Assistance Program. S. 322 Spotted Wing Abatement Trust (SWAT) Act - the bill would direct USDA APHIS to establish a fund for research and activities related to mitigating the effects of spotted wing drosophila, an insect hurting the specialty crop industry. MFB has also been supportive of efforts to include funding for mechanization in the farm bill that would help with labor shortages. MFB supported a bill by Reps. LaMalfa and Carbajal and another by Reps. Valadao and Costa related to mechanization and a letter by the same authors.