Marshall, Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Provide Relief for American Farmers

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined Senator Thom Tillis and his colleagues in introducing the Supporting Farm Operations Act of 2024, legislation that would revert the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) to the December 2023 rate through the end of the 2025 growing season.

“As a fifth-generation farm kid, I understand that work on the farm requires many different skill sets and tasks on any given day,” said Senator Marshall. “The burdensome DOL wage requirements applied to “non-standard” jobs on the farm will only increase costs for farmers and ranchers heading into the growing season amidst skyrocketing production costs and labor shortages. Our legislation is the commonsense answer to another Biden regulation that disproportionately hurts our agriculture sector.”

“With net farm income projected to decrease by more than 25% this year, farmers in North Carolina and across the country are struggling to make their planting decisions for this crop season,” said Senator Tillis. “The H-2A program has long been an option of last resort for farmers to hire legal and reliable workers to plant, grow, and harvest their crops; however, the wage rate farmers are required to pay by bureaucrats in Washington has become unsustainable.”

“Farmers care about the people who choose to work on their farms, and that includes paying them a fair wage,” said Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “Sen. Tillis’ bill takes a step toward creating a wage standard that benefits farmers and employees while ensuring farms can stay afloat and continue providing the food and fiber America’s families rely on. We greatly appreciate Senate leaders who are willing to fight for smart agricultural policy.”

Original cosponsors of the bill include Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Ted Budd (R-NC), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Tim Scott (R-SC), John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Braun (R-IN), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Kennedy (R-LA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and Mike Rounds (R-SD).

Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

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