The U.S. House is expected to take up a pair of bills dealing with immigration reform this week. Iowa State Dairy Association Executive Director Mitch Schulte is hopeful they can get those bills moved through. He says the current shortage of ag labor is significant in all sectors of U.S. agriculture including the dairy industry.
He says much of what’s contained in the Farm Workforce Modernization Act that the House is looking at would help solve many of the ag labor problems dairy producers are currently up against.
Some Senators have said they’ll oppose any immigration reform until the legislation includes securing the U.S. border from illegal immigrants. Schulte says that security is something they support but believe both border security and ag labor reform can be achieved.
Besides the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, House members are also expected to talk about a DACA measure that would impact young people that have shown up illegally.
