The National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE) recently urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to investigate a halt in federal funds to farmers to help address critical labor shortages and reduce irregular migration from Northern Central American countries. The request was in a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.
Last year, USDA’s Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Grant Program (FLSP) awarded $50 million in federal grant funding to 141 awardees in 40 states and Puerto Rico. The program reached 177 agricultural operations throughout the United States.
In the letter, NCAE notes that FLSP participants report they stopped receiving reimbursements in January or failed to receive any reimbursement. NCAE explains that recipients report being “out-of-pocket for hundreds of thousands of dollars,” adding that some are reportedly borrowing money and on the edge of bankruptcy. NCAE also stated that, despite repeated attempts, participants report they have not received clarity from USDA on the status of the FLSP funding.
“America’s farmers and ranchers who engaged in the FLSP program did so in good faith and with the understanding that USDA would uphold their end of the commitment,” said Michael Marsh, NCAE president and chief executive officer. “We are deeply troubled by reports that farmers and ranchers have not received reimbursements for the significant costs incurred as part of their participation in USDA’s program. While we know it is not USDA’s intent to further strain America’s agricultural community … USDA’s lack of communication about the status of the FLSP funds is doing just that … We hope that Secretary Rollins and her team will investigate this thoroughly and communicate with recipients promptly.”
NCAE is the national trade association focusing on agricultural labor issues from the employer’s viewpoint.
Source: NCAE
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