Farm Workers

The H-2A visa program is an integral element of the U.S. agricultural industry, offering critical assistance to farmers grappling with seasonal workforce shortages. However, the escalating costs tied to the H-2A program are impacting the profitability and long-term viability of farming operations, raising questions about its future sustainability. Cesar Escalante, Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Georgia, has spent over two decades researching the effects of U.S. immigration policies on the agricultural sector, its workers, and farms.

Cesar Escalante and Genti Kostandini, Professors in the UGA Agricultural and Applied Economics Department, have been studying the impact of evolving federal immigration policies on agriculture for more than a decade. How do these policies affect workers and farms in the U.S., and what is their direct impact on agriculture in Georgia?