October xx, 2019 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker U.S. House of Representatives 1236 Longworth House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Kevin McCarthy Minority Leader U.S. House of Representatives 2468 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy: The undersigned groups, representing a broad cross section of agriculture and its allies, urge you to advance the Farm Workforce Modernization Act (H.R. xxxx) through the House to address the labor crisis facing American agriculture. A stable, legal workforce is needed to ensure farmers and ranchers have the ability to continue producing an abundant, safe, and affordable food supply. The effects of agriculture’s critical shortage of labor reach far beyond the farm gate, negatively impacting our economic competitiveness, local economies, and jobs. Economists have found that every farm worker engaged in high-value, labor-intensive crop and livestock production sustains two to three off-farm jobs. As foreign producers take advantage of our labor shortage and gain market share, America will export not only our food production but also thousands of these farm-dependent jobs. Securing a reliable and skilled workforce is essential, not only for the agricultural industry but for the U.S. economy as a whole. The House must pass legislation that preserves agriculture’s experienced workforce by allowing current farm workers to earn legal status. For future needs, legislation must include an agricultural worker visa program that provides access to a legal and reliable workforce moving forward. This visa program needs to be more accessible, predictable, and flexible to meet the needs of producers, including those with year-round labor needs, such as dairy and livestock which currently do not have meaningful access to any program. While the bill does include a few provisions that raise significant concerns for the agricultural community, we are committed to working together throughout the legislative process to fully address these issues. It is vital to move the Farm Workforce Modernization Act (H.R. xxxx) through the House as a significant step in working to meet the labor needs of agriculture, both now and in the future. Sincerely, African-American Farmers of California Agri-Mark, Inc. Alabama Farmers Cooperative Alabama Nursery & Landscape Association American Agri-Women American Mushroom Institute American Pistachio Growers American Seed Trade Association AmericanHort Arizona Cattle Feeders’ Association Arizona Nursery Association Arkansas Rice Growers Association Associated Milk Producers Inc. Association of Virginia Potato and Vegetable Growers AZ Farm & Ranch Group Bipartisan Policy Center Action Bongards’ Creameries California Ag Irrigation Association California Alfalfa and Forage Association California Apple Commission California Avocado Commission California Bean Shippers Association California Blueberry Commission California Canning Peach Association California Cherry Growers and Industry Association California Citrus Mutual California Dairies, Inc. California Farm Bureau California Fresh Fruit Association California Grain and Feed Association California League of Food Producers California Pear Growers California Seed Association California State Beekeepers Association California State Floral Association California Sweet Potato Council California Warehouse Association California Wheat Growers Association California Women for Agriculture Central Valley Ag Cherry Marketing Institute Chobani CoBank Colorado Dairy Farmers Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association Colorado Potato Legislative Association Cooperative Milk Producers Association Cooperative Network Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. Dairy Producers of New Mexico Del Mar Food Products, Corp. Driscoll’s Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery Empire State Potato Growers Far West Agribusiness Association Farm Credit East Farm Credit Services of America Farm Credit West FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative First District Association Florida Agri-Women Florida Blueberry Growers Association Florida Citrus Mutual Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association Florida Nursery, Growers, and Landscape Association Florida Strawberry Growers Association Florida Tomato Exchange Food Northwest Food Producers of Idaho Foremost Farms USA Fresno County Farm Bureau Frontier Farm Credit Fruit Growers Marketing Association Fruit Growers Supply Georgia Green Industry Association Glanbia Nutritionals Grower-Shipper Association of Central California GROWMARK Gulf Citrus Growers Association Idaho Alfalfa & Clover Seed Commission Idaho Alfalfa & Clover Seed Growers Association Idaho Apple Commission Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry Idaho Association of Highway Districts Idaho Association of Soil Conservation Districts Idaho Bankers Association Idaho Cattleman’s Association Idaho Chamber Alliance Idaho Dairymen’s Association Idaho Eastern Oregon Seed Association Idaho Grain Producers Association Idaho Grower Shipper Association Idaho Hop Growers Idaho Milk Products Idaho Mint Growers Association Idaho Noxious Weed Control Association Idaho Nursery & Landscape Association Idaho Onion Growers Association Idaho Potato Commission Idaho State Grange Idaho Water Users Association Idaho Wool Growers Idahoan Foods LLC Idaho-Oregon Fruit and Vegetable Association Illinois Green Industry Association International Dairy Food Association Iowa Institute for Cooperatives Iowa State Dairy Association J.R. Simplot Company Kansas Cooperative Council Kansas Dairy Association Land O’Lakes, Inc. Lone Star Milk Producers Madera County Farm Bureau Maine Landscape and Nursery Association Maine Potato Board Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association Maryland Nursery, Landscape, & Greenhouse Association Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association, Inc. MBG Marketing Merced County Farm Bureau Michigan Agri-Business Association Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board Michigan Apple Association Michigan Bean Shippers Michigan Cider Association Michigan Greenhouse Grower Council Michigan Nursery & Landscape Association Michigan Milk Producers Association Michigan State Horticultural Society Midwest Dairy Coalition Mid-West Dairymen’s Company Milk Producers Council Milk Producers of Idaho Minnesota Area II Potato Council Minnesota Milk Producers Association Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association Missouri Rice Research and Merchandising Council Montana Nursery & Landscape Association Monterey County (CA) Farm Bureau Mount Joy Farmers Cooperative Association National All-Jersey National Association of State Departments of Agriculture National Council of Agricultural Employers National Council of Farmer Cooperatives National Farmers Union National Immigration Forum National Milk Producers Federation National Onion Association National Potato Council National Watermelon Association Nebraska State Dairy Association New American Economy New York Apple Association New York State Flower Industries New York State Vegetable Growers Association Nezperce Prairie Grass Growers Association Nisei Farmers League North Carolina Nursery & Landscape Association North Carolina Potato Association Northeast Dairy Farmers Cooperatives Northeast Dairy Producers Association Northern Plains Potato Growers Association Northern Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association Northwest Ag Co-op Council Northwest Dairy Association/Darigold Northwest Horticultural Council Ohio Apple Marketing Program Ohio Dairy Producers Association Ohio Nursery & Landscape Association Olive Growers Council of California Oneida-Madison Milk Producers Cooperative Association Oregon Association of Nurseries Oregon Dairy Farmers Association Oregon Potato Commission Pacific Coast Producers Pacific Egg and Poultry Association Pacific Seed Association Pennsylvania Co-operative Potato Growers Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association Plant California Alliance POM Wonderful Porterville Citrus Potato Growers of America Potato Growers of Idaho Potato Growers of Michigan Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. Premier Milk Inc. Produce Marketing Association Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania RBI Packing LLC Reiter Affiliated Companies Richard Bagdasarian, Inc. Scioto Cooperative Milk Producers’ Association Select Milk Producers, Inc. Seneca Foods Corporation Sierra Citrus Association South Dakota Association of Cooperatives South Dakota Dairy Producers South East Dairy Farmers Association Southeast Milk Inc. Southern States Cooperative St. Albans Cooperative Creamery, Inc. Stanislaus County Farm Bureau Summer Prize Frozen Foods. Sun-Maid Growers of California Sunsweet Growers, Inc. Tennessee Nursery & Landscape Association Texas Agricultural Cooperative Council Texas Association of Dairymen Texas Citrus Mutual Texas Nursery & Landscape Association Tillamook County Creamery Association Tree Top, Inc. Tulare County Farm Bureau U.S. Apple Association U.S. Rice Producers Association United Dairymen of Arizona United Egg Producers United Fresh Produce Association United Onions, USA United Potato Growers of America Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc. Utah Horticulture Society Ventura County Agricultural Association Ventura Pacific Virginia Apple Growers Association Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association Virginia State Dairymen’s Association Visalia Citrus Packing Group, Inc. Washington Growers League Washington State Dairy Federation Washington State Nursery & Landscape Association Washington State Potato Commission Washington State Tree Truit Association WA Wine Institute Wawona Frozen Foods West Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association Western Growers Association Western States Dairy Producers Association WineAmerica Wine Institute Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association Wonderful Citrus Wonderful Orchards cc: U.S. House of Representatives