A new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) COVID-19 vaccine mandate is expected to severely restrict the travel of an estimated 12,000 H-2A seasonal guest workers to Michigan in 2022 and lead to more supply chain disruptions nationwide.
DHS announced the restrictions on Jan. 20, requiring non-U.S. individuals seeking to enter the U.S. via land ports of entry and ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and provide related proof of vaccinations.
The restrictions apply to non-U.S. individuals who are traveling for both essential and non-essential reasons.
The DHS mandate is problematic on a number of fronts according to Sarah Black, general manager of Great Lakes Ag Labor Services (GLALS), an agriculture labor agency for Michigan Farm Bureau members focused on H-2A seasonal visas.
“Unlike previous COVID-related restrictions, this DHS requirement doesn’t provide exemptions for ‘essential workers’ which traditionally included guest workers utilized on our farms and throughout the food chain that help get food to your table,” said Black, noting that several farm operations in Michigan have workers scheduled to begin arriving within the next two weeks.
According to Black, fiscal year 2021 (Oct. 1, 2020, through Sept. 30, 2021) was a record year nationwide for the H-2A program, with 317,619 total positions certified by the Department of Labor, a 15.3% increase relative to 2020.
Michigan ranked seventh in overall H-2A positions certified in FY 2021 with 11,376 — a 3.6% increase from previous year figures.
“The continued growth in the use of the H-2A program just illustrates that a lack of available, reliable and qualified labor continues to be the number one concern for many farms today,” Black said.
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said DHS failed to provide proper notice of the mandate, leaving farmers no time to prepare and putting crops at risk of being left rotting in fields without a robust workforce.
“Farmers and ranchers share the goal of ensuring the health and safety of America’s families. We also have a responsibility to put food on the tables of those same families,” Duvall said. “Further limiting the available workforce will exacerbate existing supply chain issues as families face rising prices and fewer options at the grocery store.”
