The Department of Labor just tossed out a Biden-era rule that buried farmers in red tape.
Newsmax reported that on Friday, the agency announced the suspension of regulations that had farmers drowning in nearly 3,000 pages of compliance nonsense. This move signals a return to common sense for America’s agricultural backbone.
The decision scraps a May 2024 rule that bloated H-2A program requirements, impacting farmers who rely on seasonal workers.
The Trump administration, prioritizing regulatory relief, aims to ease burdens while enforcing immigration laws. Farmers, already stretched thin, can now breathe a little easier.
Back in May 2024, the Labor Department rolled out a rule that ballooned H-2A regulations from a manageable 600 pages to a monstrous 3,000. The American Farm Bureau Federation slammed it as a compliance nightmare. No farmer has time to wade through that bureaucratic swamp.
The Farm Bureau’s Zippy Duvall didn’t mince words, saying, “Farmers appreciate the men and women who work on their farms.” But he ripped the rule for assuming farmers are “guilty until proven innocent.” That’s not justice—it’s progressive overreach dressed up as worker protection.
Duvall’s quip about the rule supporting lawyers more than workers hits the mark. “The workers most supported by DOL are the lawyers needed to interpret the tsunami of new rules,” he said. The Biden-era policy seemed designed to keep legal fees high and farmers frustrated.
The suspended rule was less about safety and more about control. It piled on requirements that made hiring legal workers a logistical headache. Farmers, not bureaucrats, know best how to care for their teams without Washington’s heavy hand.
The suspension dovetails with President Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda. Border czar Tom Homan made it clear: “Criminals come first” in enforcement efforts. But he also noted that anyone entering the U.S. illegally has broken the law, a point that resonates with law-and-order conservatives.
Homan’s focus on “worksite enforcement operations” includes farms, though prioritized sensibly. “The message is clear now that we’re going to continue doing worksite enforcement,” he said. Farmers welcome accountability but cringe at blanket policies that punish the compliant.
The farming community, caught in the crosshairs of immigration debates, feels the squeeze. Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration is necessary, but farmers need legal pathways like H-2A to function. Suspending the 2024 rule offers clarity, as the Labor Department promised, but challenges remain.
The Biden rule’s collapse is a win for farmers tired of being micromanaged. It assumed bad faith from those who feed the nation, a classic woke misstep. The Trump administration’s pivot respects the grit of rural America.
Yet, the H-2A program isn’t perfect. Farmers still face hurdles hiring legal workers amid labor shortages. The suspension is a step, but broader reforms could further unshackle agriculture from bureaucratic chains.
Duvall’s point about protecting workers without vilifying farmers rings true. “We don’t take lightly the responsibility to ensure their safety,” he said. A balanced approach—tough on abuse, fair to farmers—is what’s needed, not a 3,000-page sledgehammer.
The Labor Department’s move signals a broader push to roll back regulatory excess. Farmers, often unfairly targeted by progressive policies, deserve policies that let them thrive. This suspension is a nod to their resilience.
Still, immigration enforcement looms large. Homan’s prioritized approach—targeting criminals first—makes sense, but must avoid ensnaring honest farmers. The administration’s challenge is to secure borders without starving agriculture of needed labor.
