The American Dairy Coalition is just one of the many national groups calling for immigration reform as soon as possible. CEO Laurie Fischer says dairy farmers are facing an unprecedented labor shortage. She says with the crisis the administration needs to relieve pressure on the border and provide a lawful path for foreign workers to enter the U.S. on a non-immigrant basis.

Fischer says the H-2A visa program is not working for the dairy industry because they need year-round workers and so a guest worker or similar program is needed.

She says immigrants make up from 50 to 75-percent of the U.S. dairy industry workforce. They’re often doing jobs domestic workers don’t want to do and are positively contributing to their local economy, which needs to be communicated to lawmakers.

Last week 70 groups, part of the Agriculture Workforce Coalition, emphasized the importance of immigration reform in a letter sent to President Donald Trump. The letter says the labor shortage “negatively impacts economic competitiveness, local economies and jobs.”