Temporary Agricultural Employment of H-2A Foreign Workers in the Herding or Production of Livestock on the Open Range in the United States

70 organizations filed 77 public comments on Temporary Agricultural Employment of H-2A Foreign Workers in the Herding or Production of Livestock on the Open Range in the United States, at the ETA. The comment window closed 4075d ago.

Abstract

The Department of Labor (Department) is proposing to amend its regulations governing certification of the employment of nonimmigrant workers in temporary or seasonal agricultural employment under the H-2A program to codify certain procedures for employers seeking to hire foreign temporary agricultural workers for job opportunities in sheepherding, goat herding and production of livestock on the open range. Such procedures must be consistent with the Secretary’s statutory responsibility to ensure that there are no able, willing, qualified and available U.S. workers to perform these jobs, and that the employment of foreign workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of workers in the United States similarly employed. Before the current rulemaking, variances from the general H-2A regulatory requirements were established and revised for these occupations through sub-regulatory guidance, i.e. “special procedures,” that were issued in the form of separate Field Memoranda or Training and Employment Guidance Letters. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit recently ruled that the existing special procedures for sheepherding, goat herding and open range production of livestock are not interpretive rules but rather include substantive departures from established regulatory requirements necessitating notice and comment rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act. This proposed rule provides the public with the notice and opportunity to comment on proposed procedures to be followed in the filing and processing of applications involving herding and production of livestock on the open range. Among the issues addressed are the qualifying criteria for employing foreign workers in the applicable job opportunities, preparing job orders, program obligations of employers, filing of H-2A applications requesting temporary labor certification, recruiting U.S. workers, determining the minimum offered wage rate, and the minimum standards for mobile housing on the open range. The Department’s goal is to establish a single set of regulations enabling employers seeking to hire foreign temporary agricultural workers for both herding and production of livestock on the open range to comply with their obligations under the H-2A program given the unique characteristics of these job opportunities in their industry.

Commenters (70)

• Texas Sheep & Goat Raisers' Association - Buchholztrade assoc.

  3 filings · confidence 85%
• American Farm Bureau Federationtrade assoc.

  2 filings · confidence 97%
• American Farm Bureau Federation - Mooretrade assoc.

  2 filings · confidence 85%
• California Wool Growers Association - Sankotrade assoc.

  2 filings · confidence 85%
• Colorado Wool Growers Association - Browntrade assoc.

  2 filings · confidence 85%
• Idaho Wool Growers Association - Duelketrade assoc.

  2 filings · confidence 85%
• A&F Sheep Company Inc - Iturririaunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• American Sheep Industry Association and Public Lands Council - Pfligertrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• American Wool Council - Driggerstrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Anonymous LLCunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Askin Land & Livestock LLC - Askinunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Bollman Industries - Hughesunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• California Farm Bureau Federation - Littletrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Camino and Son LLC - Caminounverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Cunningham Sheep Company - Levyunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Diamond Sheep Company - Minaberrigaraiunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• EL TEJON SHEEP COMPANY - Gragirenaunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• F.I.M. Corporation - Fulstoneunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Faulkner Land & Livestock Company - Faulknerunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• FIM Corp - Fulstoneunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Harlow Sheep Company - Harlowunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• I & M Sheep Company - Iturririaunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Idaho Farm Bureau Federation - Tanikunitrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Inc - Etchartunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Inc - Nesterunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Inc. - Bannowskyunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Inc. - Countsunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Inc. - Cravensunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Inc. - Hagemanunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Inc. - McGrewunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Inc. - Pragerunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Inc. - Siddowayunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Inc. - Soaresunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Inc. - Taftunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Inc. - Zeorianunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Indiana Sheep Association - Russelltrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• IOU Sheep Company - Mattosunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Jack Donovan & Company - Donovanunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• League of Women Voterstrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 97%
• Little Paris Sheep Company - Littleunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Live Wire Products Inc. - Hendersonunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• LLC - Araguasunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• LLC - Darleyunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• LLC - Finsterunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• LLC - Jensenunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• LLC - Reedunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• LLC - Stifflerunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• montana wool growers association - Browntrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Mountain Plains Agricultural Services & Western Range Association - Schultetrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Mountain States Lamb Cooperative - Gitthensunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• National Lamb Feeders Association - Schreiertrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association - Cowantrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• New Mexico Federal Lands Council - Leetrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• North Dakota Lamb & Wool Producers Association - Robbinstrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Oregon Sheep Growers Association - Lewistrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Oregon Shepherd LLC - Magruderunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Rocky Mountain Sheep Marketing Association - Nohtrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Sims Sheep Co LLC - Simsunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Sperry Livestock Corporation - Sperryunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• TVB Management Company - Boyerunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Utah Farm Bureau Federation - Parkertrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Utah Wool Growers Association - Fullertrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Utah Wool Marketing Association - Griggstrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Visintainer Sheep Company - Visintainerunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• W. Edwin Stahl LLC - Stahlunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Western Range Association - VanWelltrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Woolgrowers Association - Zabalbeascoatrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Wyoming Helicopters Inc. - Nicholasunverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Wyoming Wool Growers Association - Hendricksontrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• wyoming wool growers association - kesslertrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%