February 14, 2022

For Immediate Release

Contact:           Michael Marsh, President and CEO

(202) 629-9320

NCAE Meets with Mexican Embassy on COVID Vaccinations

(Washington, D.C.) The National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE) recently met with officials at the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C., to discuss vaccination issues impacting agricultural workers traveling to the United States.  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a regulation effective January 22, 2022, requiring individuals, including essential H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers, to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to transit into the U.S.  Mexico is the largest provider of H-2A to U.S. farms and ranches.

“We have heard iterative reports from our members of the difficulties they are having locating potential workers in Mexico who have been vaccinated with an appropriate CDC/WHO approved vaccine,” noted Michael Marsh, President and CEO of NCAE.  “There are challenges for American farmers and ranchers with the Biden Administration’s recent requirement that essential workers seeking to transit to temporary seasonal agricultural jobs in the U.S. must provide proof of being fully vaccinated with a CDC/WHO approved vaccine.  It appears, based on reports from our members, that provision of non-CDC/WHO approved vaccines was ubiquitous in rural agricultural areas of Mexico from where many temporary H-2A workers are recruited.”

Last fiscal year, more than 258,000 temporary foreign workers received H-2A visas to fill the more than 317,000 farm and ranch jobs for which no qualified, willing, and available domestic workers could be recruited.  This set a record both in the number of jobs certified and visas issued.  Data released this morning by the U.S. Department of Labor DOL reflect a 22.1% increase in the number of petitions received in the first quarter of FY 2022 over FY 2021.  Approved positions were up 5.5% according to the DOL report.

According to Marsh, “The officials at the Mexican Embassy are very concerned regarding any disruption in the flow of Temporary H-2A Agricultural Workers coming into the United States.  They recognize the remittances these essential workers bring home with them transform the workers’ communities.  This financial flow can allow the returning workers to build homes and send their children to school, dramatically improving lives in rural Mexico.”

“The Government of Mexico is interested in assuring that a shortage of available essential workers does not hinder this beneficial relationship and agreed to continue sharing information with NCAE in a collaborative approach,” said Marsh

NCAE is the national trade association focusing on agricultural labor issues from the employer’s viewpoint.

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February 7, 2022

For Immediate Release

Contact:           Michael Marsh, President and CEO

(202) 629-9320

NCAE Partners with Labormex to Locate CDC/WHO Approved Vaccines in Mexico

(Washington, D.C.) The National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE) has partnered with longtime member Labormex to locate CDC/WHO approved vaccines in Mexico for H-2A Temporary Workers.  Mexico is the largest provider of H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers to U.S. farms and ranches.

“Last year, NCAE members invested heavily to get farmworkers vaccinated when COVID-19 vaccines became available here in the U.S.,” noted Michael Marsh, President and CEO of NCAE.  “However, there are several challenges for American farmers and ranchers with the Biden Administration’s recent requirement that, effective January 22, 2022, all essential workers seeking to transit to temporary seasonal agricultural jobs in the U.S. must first provide proof of being fully vaccinated with a CDC/WHO approved vaccine.”

According to Marsh, “Last season, thousands of workers returned home at the conclusion of their contracts prior to vaccines being made widely available here in the U.S.  Even though many temporary workers received the vaccine in clinics set up around the country, not all did.  It appears much of the vaccine made available to potential workers in rural areas of Mexico are not CDC/WHO approved vaccines, even though the U.S. donated millions of doses.”

Last fiscal year, more than 258,000 temporary foreign workers received H-2A visas to fill the more than 317,000 farm and ranch jobs for which no qualified, willing, and available domestic workers could be recruited.  This was an increase of approximately 21% in the number of temporary foreign workers employed in the prior fiscal year.  Early data from the U.S. Department of Labor indicates FY 2022 will reflect a new record demand for temporary seasonal H-2A workers.

“A consequence of the Administration’s regulation is that supply chain maladies created by the pandemic are likely to be aggravated by this requirement.  We have had quite a number of reports of potential workers being frustrated in their attempts to acquire CDC/WHO approved vaccines,” said Marsh.  “This is why we have searched for in-country strategies to overcome the challenge that too few approved vaccines have been provided to H-2A eligible workers in Mexico.”

According to Lydia Hock, President of Labormex, “We collect information from the potential employers and connect the workers with Mexican government health services that have access to approved vaccines necessary for transit to the U.S.  We’re excited to have the opportunity to partner with NCAE and provide this critical service to America’s farm and ranch employers.  Not only is the H-2A program an imperative for necessary agricultural labor, but it also positively transforms the communities from whence these temporary workers live.”

NCAE is the national trade association focusing on agricultural labor issues from the employer’s viewpoint.

 

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January 31, 2022

For Immediate Release

Contact:           Michael Marsh, President and CEO

(202) 629-9320

NCAE Partners with AgConex to Source CDC/WHO Approved Vaccines in Mexico

(Washington, D.C.) The National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE) has partnered with AgConex to source CDC/WHO approved vaccines in Mexico for H-2A Temporary Workers.  Mexico is the largest provider of H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers to U.S. farms and ranches.

“Last season, NCAE members worked diligently to get farmworkers vaccinated when vaccines became available here in the U.S.,” noted Michael Marsh, President and CEO of NCAE.  “However, there are several challenges for American farmers and ranchers with the Biden Administration’s recent requirement that, effective January 22, 2022, all essential workers seeking to transit to temporary seasonal agricultural jobs in the U.S. must first provide proof of being fully vaccinated with a CDC/WHO approved vaccine against COVID-19.”

According to Marsh, “Last season, thousands of workers returned home at the conclusion of their contracts prior to vaccines being made widely available to the public here in the U.S.  Even though many temporary workers received the vaccine in clinics set up around the country, not all did.  And although the U.S. donated millions of doses of vaccine to Mexico, it appears much of the vaccine made available to potential workers in rural areas of Mexico are not CDC/WHO approved vaccines.”

Last fiscal year, more than 258,000 temporary foreign workers received H-2A visas to fill the more than 317,000 farm and ranch jobs for which no qualified, willing, and available domestic workers could be recruited.  This was an increase of approximately 21% in the number of temporary foreign workers employed in the prior fiscal year.  Early data from the U.S. Department of Labor indicates the FY 2021 record demand for temporary seasonal H-2A workers will be eclipsed this year.

“The unintended consequence of the Administration’s regulation is that supply chain infirmities created by the pandemic are likely to be exacerbated by this requirement.  We have had several reports already of potential workers being stymied in their attempts to acquire CDC/WHO approved vaccinations,” said Marsh.  “This is the reason we have searched for an in-country option to mitigate the reality that too few approved vaccines have been provided to H-2A eligible workers in Mexico.”

According to Grant Thompson, President of AgConex, “The employer typically provides us a list that includes contact information for the workers.  Our customer service people in Mexico contact the employees directly (by phone or email) to help them schedule a vaccination.  We’re excited to have this opportunity to partner with NCAE and help solve this challenge for America’s farm and ranch families.”

AgConex is a Company Headquartered in Boise, ID, that has created a call center specifically to assist growers with testing and vaccination services in Mexico.

NCAE is the national trade association focusing on agricultural labor issues from the employer’s viewpoint.

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