Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2025

This bill would update farm labor and immigration rules. It would create a new certified status for certain farmworkers who have worked enough hours in recent years and have stayed in the United States since the bill was introduced. Spouses and children could also qualify. Long‑time farmworkers who keep working could later apply for permanent resident status after meeting background and tax rules. It protects privacy by blocking use of application information for immigration enforcement, and it lets employers keep workers on the job while applications are pending.

It also updates the H‑2A program and rural housing. The bill caps how fast required farm wages can change through 2035, builds a public job registry and an online platform, and starts a six‑year pilot so some H‑2A workers can move between registered farms to fill open jobs. Some visas are reserved for dairy work, and certain workers would get paid travel home, family housing options, and stronger safety rules. It requires foreign labor recruiters to register, post a bond, give clear written job terms in the worker’s language, and bans charging workers any recruitment fees. The bill also expands support for farmworker housing, lets certified workers access certain rental aid, funds technology upgrades, and requires a plan and advisory group to keep rural rentals affordable.

Key points

• Who is affected: farmworkers and their families, H‑2A seasonal workers, farm employers, foreign labor recruiters, and renters in rural farmworker housing.
• New status: certain farmworkers can apply for “certified agricultural worker” status; long‑term workers may later apply for permanent residence if they meet multi‑year work and tax requirements.
• Hiring checks: use of the electronic work‑eligibility system is free; misuse and discrimination are banned; fines apply; and a fund would repay workers for lost wages caused by government errors.
• H‑2A changes: caps annual wage swings, creates a national job registry and online platform, starts a six‑year “portable H‑2A” pilot, reserves some visas for dairy jobs, and adds travel, housing, and safety protections.
• Recruiter rules: foreign labor recruiters must register, post a bond, give clear written disclosures in the worker’s language, and cannot charge workers recruitment fees.
• Housing: certified workers can qualify for certain USDA rental aid; the bill boosts operating help for farm labor housing, invests $50 million in technology upgrades, and requires a plan and advisory group to preserve affordable rural rentals.