NORTHWEST HORTICULTURAL COUNCIL

AGR · Agriculture

Agriculture: Support an economic assistance package for specialty crop growers from USDA and Congress. Advocate for changes to the way in which payments are administered under the USDA Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers program

BUD · Budget/Appropriations

Budget/Appropriations: Support an economic assistance package for specialty crop growers from USDA and Congress. Advocate for changes to the way in which payments are administered under the USDA Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers program through the appropriations process.

FOO · Food Industry (safety, labeling, etc.)

Food Safety: Pursue policy solutions for heavy metals in produce. Pursue policy revisions regarding imported produce. Pursue policy solutions at FDA to facilitate grower-led best practices development.

LBR · Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace

Labor: Advocate for regulatory reform of the H-2A program to make it less costly, and easier and more efficient to use. Advocate for regulatory reform of the H-2A prevailing wage rate, including its methodology and enforcement discretion to stop issuing new H-2A prevailing wage determinations until rulemaking is completed. Also advocated against new H-2A prevailing wage determinations in WA state by DOL. Advocate for HR9535, the Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act of 2026. Advocate for Dept Homeland Security to reduce H-2A program processing delays. Advocate for thoughtful rulemaking on the H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rate following a court ruling.

Literal federal measure citations: HR9535