With Congress home for the August recess, this is an important window for growers and industry leaders to make their voices heard before lawmakers return to Washington in September.
The National Watermelon Association has joined more than 450 organizations in supporting H.R. 9535, the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act (SAWA), legislation aimed at bringing practical, much-needed reforms to the H-2A program.
Now, we need watermelon growers and industry members to help reinforce that message directly with members of Congress.
Here’s what you can do:
1) Find your representative through NWA’s Take Action page.
2) Check to see if your representative has already cosponsored SAWA.
3) Make the ask—or say thank you. If they’re already a cosponsor, thank them for supporting agricultural labor reform. If they aren’t, ask them to cosponsor H.R. 9535 and tell them what labor costs and challenges with the current H-2A program mean for your farm or business.
Members of Congress are spending August in their districts, making this a particularly good time to call or email their district office, attend a local event, or request a meeting.
The message can be simple: H-2A reform is long overdue, and American growers need a workable agricultural labor program to remain competitive and continue producing food here at home.
The NWA will continue working with our partners in Washington to advance SAWA, but hearing directly from growers matters. Please take a few minutes this August to contact your representative and ask them to support H.R. 9535.