Western Growers, along with other California farm associations, strongly oppose the signing of a state bill which will increase the hourly minimum wage for H-2A and associated corresponding employees to $19.75 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2027.

In addition, the hourly wage will continue to be increased each January based on the cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security benefits. H-2A employers must also provide housing and transportation. California employed about 38,000 H-2A workers in the last year.

California is America’s leading producer of fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts. The farmgate value of fruits, nuts and vegetables total $43 billion. 

Western Growers, in their website statement, says: “However, net farm income (the key indicator of farm viability) is decreasing in California as operating costs continue to spiral far beyond what farmers in other states and countries experience. Policies that make the production of these foods increasingly difficult deserve particularly careful consideration because their impacts extend well beyond individual farming operations.”

Source:  Western Growers October 1, 2026 statement