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Farmworker bill up for committee vote

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee will vote on a bipartisan bill today which would provide a path to legal status for farmworkers.

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act, introduced by Democrat Zoe Lofgren of California and Republican Dan Newhouse of Washington, establishes a program for farmworkers to earn legal status, improves existing temporary worker programs and implements a mandatory electronic employment verification for the ag industry.

A letter from more than 300 ag groups was sent to House leaders Monday asking them to support the bill saying legislation must include an agricultural worker visa program that provides access to a legal and reliable workforce moving forward.  The American Farm Bureau and several state farm bureaus have not endorsed the bill which is widely accepted by others in the ag community.