Labor contractors in U.S. agriculture: Recent trends and H‐2A program usage

Skyler Simnitt and Marcelo Castillo

Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 2025, vol. 47, issue 4, 1298-1322

Abstract: This paper analyzes 20 years of data on employment trends and characteristics of U.S. farm labor contractors (FLCs). FLCs are primarily concentrated in specific industries and regions, particularly in the fruit and vegetable sectors, and in California and the Southeast. We show that the proportion of crop labor positions filled by FLCs has steadily increased over the past two decades, especially in California. Additionally, FLCs have become significant employers of H‐2A workers, now accounting for over 40% of H‐2A jobs. Lastly, we show that H‐2A exclusion in some commonly used datasets can significantly affect estimates of FLC employment.

Date: 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1002/aepp.13534

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:apecpp:v:47:y:2025:i:4:p:1298-1322

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