The farm labor shortage is getting worse. Some farmers are pushing for a bill that would expand the amount of time some seasonal workers can work in the U.S. — and create a pathway to permanent legal status for farm workers.
, as it's known, has already passed the House of Representatives twice, with at least 30 Republican votes each time. But it's stalled in the Senate.
But they will all have to persuade key Republicans, who are more focused on the record number of migrant apprehensions at the southern border. Barnwell says growers in the region have long depended on migrant and immigrant labor to harvest apples and other crops that need to be picked by hand, including peaches and tomatoes.
Some advocates go even further. Rebecca Shi, the executive director of the American Business Immigration Council, argues the bill would help fight inflation by stabilizing the cost of farm labor.
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