The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has released data that will be used to calculate the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for H-2A workers for 2018. According to the data, it is projected that:

• Arizona’s AEWR is expected to decrease from $10.95 to $10.62 per hour (-4.47%).
• California’s AEWR is expected to increase from $12.57 to $13.18 (4.85%).  
• Colorado’s AEWR is expected to decrease from $11.00 to $10.69 (-2.82).
• New Mexico’s AEWR is expected to go down from $10.95 to $10.46 (-4.47%)

Western Growers’ coalition partner, Agricultural Coalition for Immigration Reform (ACIR), engaged economist Stephen Bronars, Ph.D. to analyze the just-published USDA Farm Labor Survey data to project the 2018 AEWR.

These numbers are highly likely to become the actual wage rates, but will not be official until the Department of Labor announces the 2018 wage rates in the Federal Register, which typically occurs during the last two weeks in December. Once the AEWR is published in the Federal Register, the new wage rates takes effect immediately. 

For over a decade, Western Growers Labor Services has helped WG members successfully apply for and navigate the complex H-2A temporary ag worker program. If you are anticipating having a shortage of reliable labor in 2018, please contact WG Vice President and General Counsel Jason Resnick for information about our H-2A services at (949) 885-2253.