Pennsylvania farmers face labor uncertainty as federal policies impact workforce stability

For many Pennsylvania farmers heading into the spring growing season, there's a lot of uncertainty, especially in terms of their labor force.

Pennsylvania's top farmer, the Secretary of Agriculture, discussed the landscape in Washington D.C. and its impact on the farming landscape in the Commonwealth.

“There's high anxiety, I would say, at the moment.”

Russell Redding says numerous discussions, on numerous Ag-related issues, are ongoing with the feds.

“A lot of federal policies are being discussed. You’ve got tariff issues, food policies, immigration discussions, education; they all make the list.”

One of the top concerns for Pennsylvania farmers is having enough employees. It’s estimated that close to 30 thousand undocumented immigrants are part of the state's Ag work force.

“There are a lot of folks who are really anxious. You’ve got farm operators, industry sectors that are cautious. They’re trying to figure out if they'll have the workforce they currently have. Can they retain them? Can they bring folks in?”

Another issue with the feds is the long awaited, new farm bill from Congress, which is expected to include more research money for Penn State and elsewhere.

“We are going to put two and a half billion dollars into the bricks and mortar. If we want to recruit and educate the best and brightest in agriculture to serve our economy, we need to have the research facilities,” added Congressman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson.

Congressman Thompson is also calling for reforms in the H2A visa program, which helps farmers hire international workers for temporary, seasonal jobs.