Briefing Papers Number 12, December 2011 | Page 13
Guest worker program reform: The H-2A program—or some
version of it—is the future of agricultural labor in the United
States. Under almost any scenario, including under the AgJobs proposal, use of the H-2A program will increase. A
regularization of unauthorized farm workers should be accompanied by a guest worker program that farmers use and
whose protections are enforced. If it remains easier to employ
unauthorized farm workers rather than legal guest workers,
farmers are unlikely to switch to a guest worker system.
Endnotes
Integrate immigrant farm workers into farm operations and
management: Unauthorized immigrant farm workers are an
untapped source of human capital renewal on U.S. farms. In
addition to serving as the United States’ farm labor force;
unauthorized immigrants could help address farmer succession as part of a legalization program.
Does It Mean for Agriculture and Rural America?,” Applied Economic
Perspectives and Policy, Vol. 32, No. 2.
Include Latin American immigrant-sending communities in
U.S. agricultural guest worker programs: A ɕ٥͕