Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative praised the Trump administration’s announcement of new guidance for dairy use of the H-2A program.
The guidance, announced Wednesday, allows dairy operations to use the work visa program if they can demonstrate a temporary or seasonal labor need. Prior to this announcement, dairy farms were not eligible to use the H-2A program due to the year-round aspect of dairy farms.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture release, the guidance clarifies that dairying is eligible for consideration under the H-2A program and will be subject to the same statutory and regulatory standards applied to all H-2A employers, with petitions evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
“As a dairy farmer, this move is an encouraging milestone to have access to a visa program and address our labor force needs,” said Heidi Fischer, Edge president. “This is a decades-old need, and Edge has actively participated in this conversation with the administration on behalf of our members for several years.”
