The US Food Supply Chain

The US is the destination of hundreds of immigrant communities around the world as it has always offered abundance to its population, a stable lifestyle, and culinary richness is a well-known aspect of this country.

Local markets always try to supply food to the population and make sure they have enough staff to meet the needs and demands of American families.

The US food supply chain has always benefited from the help of foreign workers who come annually to the country to work the land, plant and harvest the food we consume on a daily basis.

In fact, the agricultural sector in the US hires more foreign than local staff since there are not enough specialized citizens in this work area.

Farmer work permits

The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) issues a specialized work permit for agricultural foreigners.

Some of the guidelines for obtaining this temporary work permit (H-2A) are as follows:

• The local employer must send the request to USCIS to bring the foreign workers.
• The employer must demonstrate that there are not enough local workers available to fill agricultural job positions.
• The employee must demonstrate that (s)he has the necessary skills and experience for the job.

There are other important requirements for USCIS to grant this work permit.

If you need help with a Business Immigration Case, feel free to contact Motion Law Immigration.

The arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic

Due to the health emergency caused by the global Coronavirus pandemic, the USCIS decided to temporarily close its offices (they reopened on June 4, 2020) and temporarily ban immigrants from entering the country.

Thus, H-2A visas are not being issued normally and the impact on the agricultural sector has been abysmal.

In fact, dozens of farmers around the country mention that crops are being lost and food is not growing due to a lack of farm workers.

This is a giant concern for the US for different reasons:

1. Those who will suffer the consequences of food shortages are American families who shop daily in local markets.
2. One of the possible repercussions is that food prices rise considerably and taking into account that the country is going through an economic crisis, this could increase the current social chaos.

Therefore, it is the appropriate time for the US administration to make the pertinent decisions to avoid a wave of food shortages in the country.

The food supply chain urgently needs the help of foreign agricultural workers.

Without the support of foreign farmers, there is no chance to supply local markets, and hundreds of American families will feel food shortages.

Seek professional help for your immigration case

In light of the threat to public health caused by COVID-19, immigration policies have recently changed and that is why it is important to follow the advice of specialists to avoid precarious situations.

At Motion Law Immigration, we are always up to date with the current policies and we are ready to advise you with any request you may have.

Therefore, if you have any questions about an immigration issue or relating to a case you may have currently in progress, then please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

Simply call Motion Law today at: (202) 918-1799.