Ag Jobs
Minnesota is the sixth-largest dairy producer in the United States, and the fifth-largest exporter of dairy abroad. Unfortunately, Minnesota dairy farmers have frequent difficulties securing a skilled, stable, and legal workforce. Because dairy farmers need their employees year-round, they are ineligible to hire foreign employees through our nation’s agricultural “H-2A” guestworker program.
Senator Franken supports the Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Social Security (AgJOBS) Act as a solution to the problem facing dairy farmers and the result of over a decade of negotiations between the labor and business communities. The AgJOBS bill will open the H-2A guestworker program to dairy farmers, and make it easier to navigate for employers and guestworkers alike. These workers will have to engage in up to 5 more years of agricultural work and pay fines and back taxes before they could become eligible for permanent residency.
