(UNITED STATES) Farmers from Pennsylvania to California are pressing President Trump to act after a steep loss of farm labor this year left crops at risk and dairy barns short-staffed. The appeals intensified through the summer and fall of 2025 as producers reported fields going unpicked and herd care stretched thin. They say the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement has thinned a workforce that was already tight.

Growers want faster access to foreign workers and simpler rules to keep operations stable through the winter and next planting season.

Scale of the decline and immediate effects

Bureau of Labor Statistics data show the U.S. agricultural workforce fell by about 155,000 workers — roughly 7% — between March and July 2025. In the broader economy, the Pew Research Center estimates that about 750,000 immigrants have left the labor force since January.

Producers say the drop has hit agriculture first and hardest because the sector depends heavily on immigrant labor, including longtime employees without legal status who left jobs after stepped-up raids and deportations.

“If we don’t get more labor, our cows don’t get milked and our crops don’t get picked,” said Tim Wood of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, describing a daily scramble to cover shifts and finish harvests before weather closes in.

The strain has been most visible in specialties that require steady hands and tight timing:

• Apple packers reported fewer experienced sorters.
• Lettuce growers raised concerns about missed cuts.
• Dairy farmers say they cannot pause milking to chase replacements.

“Once one person is short, it seems like we don’t get the work done,” said John Rosenow, a Wisconsin dairy farmer. Several producers said they’ve offered higher wages but still struggled to attract domestic applicants willing to take physically demanding roles, sometimes in remote areas.

Workforce makeup and why farms are vulnerable

Government figures underscore the sector’s reliance on immigrant labor:

• About 70% of American farmworkers are foreign-born.
• More than 40% of that workforce is undocumented, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Employers say the arithmetic no longer adds up: fewer people are available while deportations and worksite enforcement raise the risk that trained crews will vanish quickly.

“We need people to do the jobs Americans are too spoiled to do,” said John Painter, an organic dairy farmer in Westfield, Pennsylvania. His frustration echoes across farm country as growers face a labor shortage during crucial harvest and processing windows.

Policy and enforcement impacts

The Trump administration’s tougher enforcement has reshaped hiring dynamics. Increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity and what the Labor Department called the “near total cessation of the inflow of illegal aliens” have tightened supply at the moment farms need more hands to pick, sort, and ship.

Labor contractors say some workers who previously traveled seasonally within the United States now avoid checkpoints or stay home entirely. Industry analysts, including VisaVerge.com, report farmers warning of knock-on effects for food supply chains: even short delays can spoil perishable crops and push prices up in supermarkets.

Proposed fixes and options under discussion

Producers are urging the White House to expand and streamline the H-2A seasonal visa program, which allows employers to bring in temporary foreign workers for short-term agricultural needs.

Key points on H-2A and other proposals:

• Many dairy, livestock, and mushroom operations — which run year-round — cannot use H-2A under current rules.
• Employers say the program remains complex and costly, even for seasonal work.
• President Trump has acknowledged the problem and, according to industry meeting attendees, is open to letting migrant laborers remain if farmers vouch for them.
• Officials are considering rule changes to widen access to H-2A and reduce processing time for employers who can demonstrate efforts to hire domestically.

Another idea is a “touchback” option: allow some undocumented farmworkers to leave the country briefly and re-enter through a legal channel tied to agricultural jobs. This concept has drawn resistance from immigration hardliners who say it would reward illegal entry. Farm groups counter that without a lawful path for experienced workers, U.S. food production — and consumers and rural economies — will suffer.

The Labor Department has warned that pressure on the farm workforce could raise prices if shortages persist through upcoming planting and harvest cycles.

Financial pressures on producers

Farm labor expenses are forecast to exceed $53 billion in 2025, according to industry estimates shared by producers. That rise comes on top of high input costs for fuel and feed.

Producers report:

• Tighter margins pushing some toward red ink.
• A sharp increase in farm bankruptcies this year compared with 2024.
• Pressure to secure labor as a way to avoid wasting crops and to spread fixed costs across reliable output.

They argue immigration enforcement can continue, but must be paired with practical hiring channels that match the real calendar of farm work.

Administrative actions and resources

In Washington, discussions have centered on immediate fixes that would not require new legislation. Options focus on agency guidance to speed recruitment and processing in the H-2A system.

Practical steps growers and employers are taking:

1. Coordinate with multiple agencies to streamline hiring.
2. Use available petitions when permitted by program rules, such as the Form I-129:
   • Form and instructions: Form I-129
3. Review official program requirements and timelines on the Department of Labor’s H-2A page:
   • Program info: DOL H-2A Program

Political dynamics and outlook

The politics are tense. Supporters of stricter enforcement emphasize law and border security, while growers — many of whom backed President Trump — say agriculture faces special risks without a labor plan tailored to seasonal and year-round needs.

• Some Republicans from farm-heavy districts have pressed for flexibility, citing smaller harvests and delayed shipments.
• Democrats argue Congress should create a more stable system with a long-term status option for essential agricultural workers, but the legislative path is uncertain.

Producers stress urgency: the next 8 to 12 weeks matter because employers are hiring now for winter processing and early spring planting. Several growers described plans to cut acreage or change crops if they cannot secure dependable crews, which could lock in lower output for the next season.

Others are reworking schedules to reduce labor peaks, but many jobs — like milking and harvest picking — cannot be shifted without harming productivity.

“We’re not asking for special treatment,” said Painter. “We’re asking for a legal way to hire the people who already know how to do this work.”

Key tension points and immediate needs

The core tension remains the balance between immigration enforcement and farm labor needs. Growers want clear assurances that hiring foreign workers will not expose them to unexpected worksite actions that strip staff mid-season.

Worker advocates emphasize that any expansion must include:

• Strong workplace safeguards
• Fair wages
• Protections so U.S. and foreign workers aren’t pitted against each other

For now, the most affected operations are those with year-round labor needs that H-2A doesn’t easily cover, especially dairies that cannot stagger work. With winter approaching, many say they need policy clarity in days, not months, to plan for next year’s production and keep food flowing to market.