Van Orden, Dairy Groups Push Year-Round Farm Worker Reform

(U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden and a coalition of dairy industry groups are pressing Congress to adopt a new year-round legal status for farmworkers, saying the move is essential to keep milk flowing and farms open across the United States 🇺🇸.) Their proposal, the Agricultural Reform Act of 2025 (filed as H.R. 4748), would create a one-year visa for agricultural workers and fold the application process into the government’s CBP One mobile app. Supporters say the measure fills a gap in current law: the H-2A program covers only seasonal labor, while dairy production is continuous.

As of October 8, 2025, the bill sits in the House Judiciary Committee after introduction on July 23, 2025, with no further action reported.

What the bill would create

• One-year renewable status for agricultural workers.
• A required departure from the U.S. for those currently here without status, followed by lawful re-entry through a port of entry.
• Integration of the application and scheduling through the CBP One mobile app: CBP One mobile app.
• No new path to permanent residency or citizenship created by this bill.

“Not an amnesty”: supporters and the sponsor emphasize the proposal is temporary, renewable, and not a shortcut to citizenship.

Key eligibility and exclusion rules

• Applicants must exit the U.S. and re-enter lawfully to participate.
• Applicants with a criminal record are excluded except for the offense of improper entry.
• Applicants who entered during the administration of President Biden are excluded.
• Any permanent residency or citizenship pursuit must follow existing legal channels—this bill does not create special paths.

Fee and administrative details

• Applicants would pay at least $2,500, an amount set and administered by the Secretary of Labor.
• Supporters say the fee helps:
  • Screen applicants,
  • Cover administrative costs,
  • Signal the program is regulated and not an open-ended benefit.

CBP One integration and process

• The bill would use the existing CBP One platform to:
  • Schedule lawful entry appointments,
  • Support identity verification,
  • Document the “self-deportation and lawful re-entry” process.
• Supporters argue that using a familiar government app could reduce confusion and speed processing.
• Exact operational details and agency workflows would be set after passage.

Employer responsibilities and shared accountability

• Employers would carry responsibility for ensuring compliance with program rules.
• The proposal emphasizes shared accountability so the system remains workable without inviting abuse.
• Industry leaders say the bill avoids excessive paperwork and aims for clarity in employer duties.

Support from dairy and industry groups

Broad coalition backing includes:
– American Dairy Coalition
– American Business Immigration Coalition
– Dairy Farmers of America
– International Dairy Foods Association
– Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative

Their arguments:
– Domestic labor cannot meet year-round dairy needs (milking, herd care, processing).
– Without legal immigrant labor, more farms may close and rural economies would suffer.
– They frame the change as nonpartisan, linked to food supply and national security.

Why dairy groups say H-2A is insufficient

• H-2A is built around seasonality—planting and harvest—not daily milking and herd care that runs 365 days a year.
• Dairy advocates call this mismatch a structural problem: if law recognizes seasonal needs, it should also recognize continuous needs.
• H.R. 4748 attempts a targeted fix without overhauling the guestworker system.

Political dynamics

• Van Orden acknowledges resistance within his party, while pointing out that 94% of U.S. farmland is represented by Republicans.
• The coalition pitches the bill as appealing to both parties by tying it to food security and rural economic stability.
• The bill’s tight guardrails (no amnesty, requirement to leave/re-enter, strict exclusions) aim to make it politically acceptable—but opposition is likely given the history of immigration debates.

Potential impacts and industry case

• Industry warns of cascading effects if labor shortages persist:
  • Farms closing,
  • Reduced processing capacity,
  • Disruption in distribution and grocery supply.
• Supporters argue legal status would allow:
  • Predictable workforce planning,
  • Reduced risk of sudden disruptions,
  • Better animal care and production continuity.

Implementation challenges and open questions

• If passed, regulators would need to define:
  • Clear steps for departure and re-entry,
  • Processing times and renewal procedures,
  • Employer compliance roles and enforcement mechanisms.
• Questions remain on scale, timelines, and how renewals would be handled.

Exclusions and potential flashpoints

• Strict exclusions (criminal records except improper entry; entries during Biden administration) draw a firm line that supporters call necessary for safety and political viability.
• Critics (not quoted in provided materials) could argue bright-line rules are too sweeping; supporters counter that clarity is essential to win votes.

Legislative status and next steps

• Introduced: July 23, 2025.
• Committee: House Judiciary Committee.
• Latest reported status: No additional action as of October 8, 2025.
• Coalition is urging lawmakers to treat the bill as a stand-alone fix, not tied to broader immigration packages that risk collapse.

Takeaways

• H.R. 4748 is a narrow, focused proposal aiming to align immigration policy with the realities of year-round agriculture, especially dairy.
• Core features:
  • One-year renewable status
  • Minimum $2,500 fee
  • Requirement to leave and re-enter lawfully
  • Use of the CBP One mobile app
  • Strict exclusions and no amnesty
• Supporters see it as a practical solution to labor shortages; opponents and skeptics—while not quoted here—may raise concerns about exclusions, fairness, and broader immigration implications.

The bill’s fate will hinge on committee action and whether lawmakers treat food production as urgent enough to back a narrowly drawn, year-round legal status for farmworkers. Until Congress acts, seasonal programs will remain the primary legal channel for farm labor, and dairies will continue facing the workforce pressures that prompted H.R. 4748.