Sign our petition and join the fight to protect Michigan fruit and vegetable growers

Members of the Protect Our Produce coalition are gathering petition signatures to support their ongoing efforts to address federal mandates threatening the livelihoods of Michigan’s fruit and vegetable growers. 

You can sign the petition by texting ‘AEWR’ to 52886 or by visiting https://bit.ly/ProtectOurProduce.

“Our growers are facing a tough choice,” said Jamie Clover Adams, executive director of Michigan Asparagus and the coalition’s lead. “As labor costs keep going up, and the money they make stays the same — or even goes down because of cheaper imports — they are forced to reduce their production of fruits and vegetables just to stay afloat. Once we lose this production, we won't get it back.”

The coalition intends to present the petition to the incoming Trump Administration, urging decisive action to safeguard U.S. fruit and vegetable production and protect the nation’s food supply by:

1. Adjusting the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) to reflect fair, sustainable wages. Implement a more realistic wage structure for H-2A guestworkers, supporting growers and preventing industry collapse.
2. Ensuring affordable, safe food for American consumers. Without changes, increased imports will drive up costs for consumers and reduce our control over food safety and quality. U.S. grown produce meets the highest standards; losing it would jeopardize the health of all consumers.
3. Strengthening domestic food security. Local food production is reliable and resilient, especially during global disruptions. We must safeguard our food system by keeping farms operational.
4. Modernize and maintain the H-2A guestworker program. This guestworker program is critical to U.S. food production because of the lack of domestic workers willing to work on farms. It needs to be updated to reflect changes that have occurred in the U.S. over the past 40 years.

The coalition, launched earlier this year, includes key agricultural organizations such as Michigan Asparagus, Michigan Farm Bureau, Potato Growers of Michigan, Michigan State Horticultural Society, Michigan Vegetable Council, Michigan Blueberry Commission, Michigan Tree Fruit Commission, Michigan Agribusiness Association and Cherry Marketing Institute.

Follow the Protect Our Produce coalition on Facebook or LinkedIn for updates and the latest news.