By james art 
Many of these persons work in the agricultural sector worth over $ 12.8 billion a year in the country. Of the more than 35,900 farms, 95% are family, according to the State Department of Agriculture of Washington.
The National Center for Health of Farmers estimates that more than 70% of agricultural workers have been born in another country, and many of them are underdeveloped.
For farmers in Washington, the loss of this labor force would be catastrophic.
Jeff Luxed, a professor of agricultural economy at Washington State University, warns that the current shortage of labor and increasing costs are already stretching farmers.
“The real problem is that it has a relatively little labor supply and if mass deportation happens, it will further shrink the supply of labor. Simply supply and supply tells us that it will increase salaries. Even without this mass deportation, manufacturers are struggling to come up with ways to circumvent the problem of labor. That will just make it worse, “Luckstead said.
Historically, the gardening of the United States has relied largely of migrants because of its seasonal and physically demanding nature, according to Karina Galardo, professor and expansion specialist at the School of Economic Sciences of the State University in Washington. She said that the trends of migration had shifted dramatically since 2007, when the influx of immigrants reached its peak, followed by the migration of net zero.
“Many of those workers who initially performed major agricultural roles are aging from physically intensive work, while others who settled in the United States are looking for year-round, higher-paid jobs in other industries,” Galardo said. This decline in the available work has created a sharp imbalance, as agricultural requirements are increasing, especially with modern high-density planting techniques requiring more intense care.
The H-2A Federal Visa Program is designed to deal with the shortage of workforce in agriculture, allowing manufacturers to hire temporary workers from other countries. The program comes with additional salary costs. Daryl Harden, manufacturer of Cashmere and President of Harnden Orchars Inc., told every H-2A program worker, he makes an average of $ 2,200 to $ 2300 expenses except salaries.
“If you are going to bring 10 guys, it will cost you about $ 22,000,” Harden said.
The coefficient of payment of the adverse effect (AEWR), which determines the minimum hourly wage for H-2A workers, has increased significantly in Washington over the years. In 2018, Aewr was $ 14.12 an hour, and by 2024 it increased to $ 19.82 per hour, 36% in six years. This rate is higher than the total minimum wage of Washington, $ 16.28 per hour in 2024. Aewr’s escalating costs added financial challenges to farmers using the H-2A program in Washington.
“The program has increased dramatically,” Galardo said. She said that the smaller farms, who rely on local workers, including without documents, face more challenges. “Small farms that can’t afford the H-2A program may be the most affected,” Galardo said. She included that she needed more data to confirm these trends.
For greater agricultural operations, these costs can be manageable. The smaller family farms are fighting.
“Organizations that own orchards, warehouses, agencies for sale can withstand these additional costs more easily than a local family farmer,” Harden said. “When regulations are lowered, the costs come and they increase every year. There is no relief. “
Luckstead said the reading of H-2A workers is not a solution possible. The deportation of these workers will further reduce the already scarce labor pool, increasing salaries higher and put in additional financial tension to farmers.
“The problem with the H-2A visas is that they are expensive for farmers. There is a large above ground price. Apple industry consolidation is already happening. We see bigger farms buy land from smaller farms. Mass deportation with smaller farms that cannot benefit from the H-2A will just accelerate this, “Luckstead said.
Mixed workforce from internal, undocumented and H-2A workers has long been a norm in agriculture in Washington. But since political pressure is to eliminate unspecified labor, farmers remain with a little good options. Many call for a balanced approach to a policy that supports both the agricultural sector and its workers.
“Our manufacturers need help,” Harden said. “It is a pity that there are so many on them that they have to make decisions whether they can even continue.”
Luckstead concluded that the pulsation effects of mass deportation will not only harm farmers, but also lead to higher prices for consumers. With the increase in entry costs, farmers will need to increase prices in order to remain viable, contributing to inflation in various agricultural products. This scenario threatens Washington’s ability to remain competitive in the world market, especially for the high quality apples that the state is known for production.
“What will this do with the price of apples? Any harvest that these works uses will ultimately have to increase. If the input prices rise, the price of apples will eventually have to increase [and] In the end, farmers will not survive, “Luuxed said. “I think this will prevent Washington’s ability to remain competitive. We have some of the best apples growing areas in the world. We produce high quality apples. “
Wenatchee World originally published this article on January 23, 2025. Reneé Dìaz was an associate of WSU Murrow, who wrote about Wenatchee World and Northwest Public Broadcasting.