American Farm Bureau board votes to support Goodlatte AG Act provisions

The American Farm Bureau Federation’s board of directors voted unanimously to support House passage of H.R. 4760, a broad immigration bill, based on the strength of agricultural labor provisions included in the legislation.

The American Farm Bureau Federation’s board of directors voted unanimously to support House passage of H.R. 4760, a broad immigration bill, based on the strength of agricultural labor provisions included in the legislation.

“The American Farm Bureau board was resolute and unanimous in its support of these agricultural labor reforms,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Those provisions authorize a new agricultural guest worker program and they go a long way toward fixing the biggest problem we face in agriculture – a shortage of agricultural labor that limits our ability to produce food, fiber and fuel.”

Duvall sent a letter shortly after the AFBF board vote to all members of the House encouraging “yes” votes to move provisions of the new AG Act forward.

“The American Farm Bureau will continue to work for improved provisions for those who are helping to sustain our sector today,” the letter stated. “While those workers should not be granted an unfair advantage over others, we must recognize the important contribution they are making to sustaining farms and ranches across the country and provide them the best possible path to legalization. But those changes cannot be made if H.R. 4760 fails and the legislative process comes to a halt.”

While H.R. 4760 is broad legislation that includes provisions on which AFBF does not take a position, the bill provides a solution “our members desperately need” on ag labor concerns, the letter said. “It is critical for the House to take a stand in support of U.S. agriculture and move this legislation forward for consideration in the Senate,” the letter concluded.

The letter is posted at: https://www.fb.org/files/21_HR4760_June.pdf

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