How to optimize a multi-state labor force with the H-2A visa program

Photos courtesy of Bushel Boy

Operations with multiple locations face unique labor issues that can be hard to manage in the current job market. The H-2A visa program, which allows for the temporary hiring of migrant agricultural labor, can look like a convenient way for growers to solve labor problems, but it can also add a layer of complicated federal and state bureaucracy. For Bushel Boy Farms, which operates two greenhouse operations in Minnesota and Iowa, three years of experience with the H-2A visa program has revealed some best practices to ensure jobs are filled and stay filled.

Bushel Boy is a long-standing produce brand focused primarily on the production of tomatoes using high-wire methods (though strawberries and cucumbers have been added to the mix in recent years). Between its two facilities, the company manages approximately 40 acres undercover and requires about 150 employees to make sure the operation runs smoothly.

“Labor is our single largest cost component for our operation. It’s also our single biggest opportunity,” Bushel Boy President Chuck Tryon explains. "Having available seasonal labor is key. The plants need a lot of care."

That crop care is the biggest need for the company. The plants require consistent management, and that management takes skilled workers. That’s why the company looked to the H-2A program in 2021. The problem was that operating in two states meant navigating two unique sets of labor laws, on top of federal rules.

“We work with Legacy Labor, and they provide the labor force at both sites,” says Tryon. “They manage the housing and manage transportation for [the H-2A employees] at each site. It just makes things simpler from our standpoint. We’ve got one process to work with and one point of contact. We consider them a strategic partner.”

Tryon notes that he sees no going back after three years working with H-2A workers. However, he has some recommendations for growers who want to engage in the H-2A program.

Consider multi-state complexities

While the H-2A program is largely enabled by federal agencies, there are state-by-state nuances. If you operate in multiple states, having a partner like Legacy Labor to navigate and manage the nuances will help immensely.

Labor optimization, not cost savings

Tryon warns growers that are looking toward H-2A visa workers as a means of cost cutting will likely be disappointed. Instead, he urges growers to think about the program as a way to optimize labor — having the right level of skill in the right place, working at the right pace.

Pilot before launch

In 2021, Bushel Boy piloted the H-2A program, starting small. They considered three main factors: making sure the workers had the appropriate skill level; that they fit into the company culture; and that they were good representatives of the business in the community.

With a few considerations, Tryon says H-2A workers can be an important, even crucial resource. “It’s been a very valuable and stabilizing part of our business over the last three years,” he says.