Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper Applauds Trump Administration H-2A Visa Changes as “Huge Win for Georgia’s #1 Industry”

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper issued the following statement praising the Trump Administration’s proposed changes to the H-2A Visa Program that will save Georgia farmers millions in labor costs next year. The Trump Administration’s proposed changes streamline the H-2A program’s worker classification system and significantly lower Georgia’s Adverse Effect Wage Rate.

“The Trump Administration’s proposed changes to the H-2A visa program are a huge win for Georgia’s #1 industry that will save Georgia farm families millions in labor costs next year,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper. “For some producers, these changes will be the deciding factor that allows them to produce a crop this year when they otherwise may not have, and I am incredibly grateful that President Trump continues to put American farmers first.”

Georgia farmers rely heavily on the H-2A program, and the state consistently ranks among the top 3 H-2A states, with more than 37,500 H-2A positions. From 2022 to 2025, the Biden Administration increased Georgia’s AEWR from $11.99 to $16.08 – a 31% increase that cost Georgia farmers more than $250 million in additional labor costs. In addition to streamlining the H-2A program’s worker classification system, the Trump Administration’s proposed rule sets Georgia’s top AEWR at $16.22 with an adverse compensation adjustment of $1.75, making the effective rate $14.47 for 2026.