“California agriculture is already facing significant economic pressure, and adding costs without considering the entire farm economy will have consequences beyond the farm,” said CFFA President Casey Creamer. “Supporting farmworkers and maintaining economically sustainable farms are not competing goals. We need both.”

Beginning Jan. 1, AB 2646 establishes a $19.75 hourly wage for H-2A employees and corresponding employees performing the same work for the same employer in the same county, with annual adjustments thereafter.

“California growers compete in a global marketplace against producers with significantly different costs and standard, and our growers generally cannot pass increased costs on to their customers,” Creamer said. “If we continue making it more difficult to produce food here, we risk shifting more of our food supply to foreign production. That does not help California farmworkers, our rural communities or our long-term food security.”

CFFA joined a broad coalition of ag organizations requesting a veto of AB 2646 and submitted its own veto request to veto to the governor.

“A healthy agricultural economy supports everyone in the supply chain — growers, farmworkers, packinghouse employees, truck drivers, salespeople and the rural communities that depend on agriculture,” Creamer added. “CFFA will continue working with policymakers in practical solutions that strengthen California agriculture and allow the people who depend on the to succeed.”

— Story contributed by the California Fresh Fruit Association