The Louisiana Legislature has adopted a resolution urging the United States Congress to modify the H-2A nonimmigrant visa program to alleviate the financial burdens placed on Louisiana farmers due to rising wage rates. The resolution highlights the significant increase in the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR), which has risen by 25% over the past five years, and emphasizes the challenges faced by agricultural employers who rely on affordable labor. The resolution calls for Congress to take action to make agricultural labor more accessible and to reduce the regulatory compliance burden associated with maintaining a workforce.

Specifically, the resolution requests that Congress rescind the current AEWR and maintain H-2A worker wages at January 2023 levels, as well as mandate that wage obligations for H-2A workers be based solely on the Farm Labor Survey. The Louisiana Legislature asserts that the H-2A program is vital for the sustainability and competitiveness of American agriculture, and that aligning wage obligations with the Farm Labor Survey would help mitigate the financial strain on farmers, ensuring the viability of agricultural operations and stabilizing consumer prices.