Washington, D.C. (March 18, 2021)—“Today’s bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives to pass H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, is a critical step towards achieving many of the long-standing immigration reform goals of NCFC and others in agriculture. I would like to recognize the leadership and hard work of Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Dan Newhouse for their efforts to move the bill forward and do so in a way that drew support from both Democrats and Republicans.
“With the House’s action today, I strongly urge the Senate to take up, without delay, similar legislation that addresses the labor crisis hitting farmers across the country. While NCFC and its members have concerns with some provisions of the FWMA, the bill provides an excellent starting point for the Senate to begin work on the issue. We look forward to working with the Senate to ensure that their legislation achieves our key objectives: addressing both the current and future needs of agricultural employers; ensuring that programs work for all types of producers; and providing certainty for both farmers and farmworkers moving forward.”
About NCFC
Since 1929, NCFC has been the voice of America’s farmer cooperatives. Our members are regional and national farmer cooperatives, which are in turn composed of nearly 2,000 local farmer cooperatives across the country. NCFC members also include 26 state and regional councils of cooperatives. Farmer cooperatives allow individual farmers the ability to own and lead organizations that are essential for continued competitiveness in both the domestic and international markets.
America’s farmer-owned cooperatives provide a comprehensive array of services for their members. These diverse organizations handle, process and market virtually every type of agricultural commodity. They also provide farmers with access to infrastructure necessary to manufacture, distribute and sell a variety of farm inputs. Additionally, they provide credit and related financial services, including export financing.
