Late last week, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule that will bring a number of significant changes to the H-2A visa program. The original proposal was originally formulated during the previous Trump administration back in July of 2019; however, this finalized update takes a significant departure from a number of those original concepts. Some of the key elements in the final rule include the following:

The rule clocks in at nearly 600 pages and is set to go into effect by November 14^th, giving many in the agricultural and employment community little time to digest these changes and move towards compliance and implementation. While state-level requirements in California are typically more stringent than in other states (with respects to housing and other worker benefits), the broad changes will still likely lead to more costs and oversight in our state—and most certainly in others.

On October 12, the Department of Interior announced drought mitigation funding intended to address long-term viability of the Colorado River system. Managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the newly created program called the Lower Colorado River Basin System Conservation and Efficiency Program, will receive funding from the $4 billion included in the Inflation Reduction Act. The program, comprised of three components, will fund selected projects that mitigate drought, protect natural resources, and help ensure reliable water and power supplies across the system.

Two of the three components are accepting proposal submissions until November 21, 2022. One component will require system conservation resulting in wet water remaining in Lake Mead at set prices per acre-foot. The second component will accept proposals for additional water conservation and efficiency projects that could involve a variety of pricing options. The third component will be for proposals in early 2023 for long-term efficiency improvements that result in multi-year system conservation. Additional details on the new program can be viewed on Reclamation's IRA webpage here.

USDA Rural Development has announced that it will accept applications for grants to help provide nonprofit organizations improve water treatment and waste disposal systems for people in rural areas. Applications will be accepted under the Water and Waste Disposal Technical Assistance and Training Grants program, intended to assist small communities improve water and waste treatment facilities for households and businesses. Eligible project areas include cities, towns and unincorporated rural areas with populations of up to 10,000 residents, or tribal lands in rural areas with special consideration given to projects that serve areas with populations of less than 5,500 residents or less than 2,500 residents. USDA expects to make approximately $35 million available through the program. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 31, 2022. Click here for more information. 

The USDA Risk Management Agency is offering a “roadshow” series of virtual workshops over the next three months for agricultural producers and stakeholders to learn more about USDA’s latest updates to Whole-Farm Revenue Protection and the Micro Farm insurance options. The upcoming workshops will be held via Microsoft Teams on Thursday, October 13, Tuesday, November 15 and Tuesday, December 13. RSVP is not required, and attendees will have the opportunity to submit written questions to USDA staff during the events. Click here to learn more.

Please note that effective October 7, 2022, Sara Arsenault is no longer serving as Federal Policy Director for California Farm Bureau. Please direct policy inquiries to Matthew Viohl, Federal Policy Associate Director, at [email protected] or Erin Huston, Federal Policy Consultant, at [email protected]