A recently updated Iowa State University Study by economists shows that despite competitive wages and an expanding workforce the U.S. pork industry is continuing to struggle with a labor shortage. National Pork Producer’s Council’s Manager of Competition, Labor and Tax Issues Jack Detiveaux says despite the COVID Pandemic, there are factors that have limited labor availability for the pork industry.
He says the H2A program needs to be changed to allow for year round labor without any caps or further restrictions to help the pork industry address its ag labor shortage.
Detiveaux says one solution to the ag labor shortage is contained in a House bill but the next step is to get something done in the Senate.
According to the ISU study, the rural labor force shrunk in five of the eight top pork producing states.
