Congress freezes wages for 2 million temporary farm workers
H.R. 5596 — FARMS Act · Filed by John Moolenaar (R-MI) · 12 cosponsors · Introduced Sep 26, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill allows the Secretary of Labor to freeze the adverse effect wage rate (AEWR)—the minimum wage agricultural employers must pay H-2A visa workers—at its current level for up to 2 years if the Department determines there is no valid method to calculate a new rate. The bill effectively prevents wage increases for temporary agricultural workers during this period.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a wage freeze for temporary agricultural workers. While framed as a technical fix (pausing AEWR calculation pending a 'valid method'), the practical effect is to suppress labor costs for agricultural employers by preventing wage adjustments for 2 years.
What the text implies
- The 2-year freeze may be renewable or extended if the Secretary continues to claim no 'valid method' exists, creating a potential indefinite wage suppression mechanism.
- H-2A workers cannot negotiate wages; they are admitted under employer sponsorship and face deportation if they leave. A wage freeze disproportionately harms workers with no exit option.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
agricultural employers (particularly large-scale operations relying on H-2A labor); agricultural labor contractors