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Farmer wants updated guest worker program

Northwest Ohio farmer Lou Kozma says an expanded guest worker program could help U.S. farmers meet labor shortages.

“I would like a fair and equitable guest worker program,” he says. “There’s still no conduit to bring people in on a guest worker program or even if they wanted temporary citizenship or visas for it- we’re still lacking that.”

He tells Brownfield it’s causing some farmers to exit the business.

“We’re seeing vast parts of our industry that aren’t able to automate, that require a lot of hand labor, where growers are just stopping,” he says. “We’re seeing that in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan because we have a grower base in all three states.”  

Kozma says many farmers need an updated program to continue to diversify their operations.

“Once you get out further west everything is on a bigger scale and doesn’t require hand labor, but most of the vegetable and fruit production in the area requires that,” he says. “We keep diminishing that, but we need it for diversification.”

There are reports that negotiations on farm labor legislation will ramp up after Congress returns from its Easter recess.

The USDA recently updated resources for farmers using the H-2A visa program. Farmers.gov added information to simplify the program and provide a checklist to help farmers with the application process. The site will eventually include a streamlined application process.

Kozma is president of Hirzel Farms, which includes organic vegetable production, tomato and cabbage processing, and a compost operation.

Audio: Lou Kozma, Ohio farmer