The National Pork Producers Council is calling on Congress to include in their budget reconciliation bill language to expand the existing H2A visa program for year to year agricultural workers. Nebraska Pork Producer’s Association’s Executive Director Al Juhnke says the current ag labor shortage is critical and being felt heavily in the pork industry.

He says Congress needs to change the H2A visa to allow for year round workers that can remain in the U.S. legally with no limits.

Juhnke says the ag labor problem is one of both national and food security.

NPPC told House leaders that if the ag labor shortage is not addressed it could lead to farms and plans shutting down, causing serious financial harm to the communities in which they operate.