Skyrocketing labor costs threaten the future of Michigan’s fruit and vegetable sector LANSING, Mich. (May 22, 2024) – Michigan Agri-Business Association President Chuck Lippstreu today thanked members of the Michigan Congressional delegation who voiced bipartisan support for freezing the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) at 2023 levels through 2025. The Members of Congress were among 120 total U.S. Representatives – Democrats and Republicans – calling for this sorely-needed action in a joint letter. The letter is available here. “Michigan is proud to be home to a wide range of fruit and vegetable production, and the bipartisan group of Members of Congress signing this letter have signaled their strong support for Michigan’s specialty crop growers,” said Lippstreu. “Many rural businesses and communities depend on the success of our state’s fruit and vegetable industry. Unfortunately, runaway labor costs created by a broken U.S. Department of Labor program threaten its future, so we thank Members of Congress for joining together on a strong, bipartisan basis to support a freeze of the Adverse Effect Wage Rate. We also appreciate the leadership of Congressman Bill Huizenga and Congressman Dan Kildee to rally 120 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, from across America, to weigh in on this critical issue.” The AEWR, the required wage that farm employers must pay H-2A workers, more than doubled since 2005. Michigan is home to one of the highest rates in the nation. Signing the letter from Michigan were: Congressman Bill Huizenga Congressman Dan Kildee Congressman Jack Bergman Congressman John James Congresswoman Lisa McClain Congresswoman Hillary Scholten Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin Congressman Tim Walberg Lippstreu noted that in addition to support for this bipartisan letter, MABA and many Michigan agricultural organizations have lauded the Supporting Farm Operations Act (HR 7046), led by Congressman John Moolenaar from Michigan, which would freeze the AEWR until the end of 2025. # # #
