Meeting Agenda: August 13, 2026- Welcome, grounding, and introductions
- Program and agency updates
- H-2A open discussion
- Impacts, pressures, and needs
- Next steps and action items
Welcome, grounding, and introductions
- The meeting included a large number of introductions because of several new participants including:
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Scott Dilley — Worker and Farmer Labor Association (WAFLA): Public Affairs Director. WAFLA works with labor-intensive agricultural employers and workers, including agricultural HR, H-2A workforce coordination, and farmworker housing.
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Homero Suarez — WAFLA: Field staff in Oregon, supporting WAFLA contracts, members, and labor-related issues throughout the state.
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Cheri Brubaker — Congresswoman Val Hoyle's office: Field representative covering Lincoln, Benton, and Coastal Lane Counties. Described the office's role as a constituent liaison with federal agencies and noted experience with community project funding for affordable and workforce housing.
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Justin Dillon— Oregon Water Resources Department: Southwest Region Manager, supporting water users in Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, Coos, and Curry Counties. Joined to contribute to conversations around drought, water scarcity, housing, agriculture, and economic development.
Program and agency updates
Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI)
- BOLI has been working with OHCS colleagues on
data sharing related to housing discrimination complaints involving affordable housing properties within the OHCS portfolio.
- The goal is to ensure information about potential civil rights violations is shared appropriately across state agencies.
- BOLI has also been conducting outreach around the state and participating in community events.
Oregon Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA)
- Oregon OSHA is in its
summer heat emphasis program.
- Inspectors are conducting significant field activity, including inspections related to agricultural labor housing.
- Employers and growers are preparing for agricultural labor housing rule changes adopted in 2025, including provisions with delayed effective dates.
- Oregon OSHA has published its agricultural labor housing checklist, available in English and Spanish, including the ability to order printed copies:
- Finalizing a
clarification/interpretive document concerning the housing rules and anticipated changes. Expected it to be released shortly but did not provide a firm date.
- Oregon OSHA is also working on
a proposed workplace-violence rule applicable to healthcare workplaces; Sarah noted that
it does not apply to the agricultural workforce.
Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) — Agricultural Workforce Housing Tax Credit
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The community-based portion is essentially fully subscribed, with approximately $40,000 remaining.
- A new allocation is expected at the beginning of the next biennium, with approximately
$13.4 million available for community-based projects beginning July 1, 2027.
- The
on-farm set-aside still has approximately
$13 million available.
- Three projects have been submitted so far for the current year.
- The tax credit may also help farmers and labor-camp operators pay for property improvements needed to meet agricultural labor housing requirements.
- The on-farm funding remains open through the end of September. Any remaining funds will then return to the community-based pool.
- Offered to speak individually with organizations or applicants about how the tax credits may apply to their projects.
H2-A open discussion
The group held an extended discussion about the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program.
This conversation had been requested for many months and should remain an
ongoing discussion, including both H-2A workers and the housing/workforce systems supporting them.
H-2A and nursery industry
Jeff Stone, Oregon Association of Nurseries, described the nursery industry's challenges with H-2A.
Key points raised:
- Nursery operations generally have not used H-2A as extensively as some other agricultural sectors.
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The adverse effect wage rate (AEWR) is one factor affecting the industry's ability to use H-2A.
- Nursery employers also face challenges related to agricultural land use and providing on-farm housing.
- Nursery operations are competing nationally with producers in states with significantly lower labor and other operating costs.
- The industry is seeking greater workforce flexibility and wants to work with WAFLA because of its experience with the H-2A program.
- Emphasized that the industry's concerns should not be interpreted as opposition to safe or adequate housing. Rather, employers are trying to understand how to meet workforce needs while remaining economically viable.
WAFLA overview of H-2A
WAFLA views H-2A fundamentally as a
worker-protection program, with numerous federal and state requirements. Highlights include:
- Employers must comply with the applicable wage requirements, including the AEWR.
- The AEWR applies to H-2A workers and domestic workers in corresponding employment performing the same work.
- Employers must conduct recruitment before receiving H-2A certification.
- Job opportunities are made available through the state workforce system.
- Domestic workers who are qualified and apply during the applicable period must be considered for employment.
- Housing is a major requirement of H-2A and one of the program's significant cost drivers.
- Housing may be provided on the farm or through off-site facilities serving workers from multiple growers.
- Transportation between off-site housing and the worksite can be part of the arrangement.
Oregon and Washington employers face higher costs than competitors in many other parts of the country, including higher wages and housing requirements. There was concern that sustained low profit margins could contribute to farm consolidation or farms leaving agriculture.
WAFLA described its role as helping employers understand the various regulatory requirements and providing field staff and training.
Columbia River fruit growers
Discussed the increasing use of H-2A among Columbia River fruit growers describing the industry's highly seasonal labor needs, particularly:
- Cherry and pear harvest, when fruit must be harvested within short windows.
- Winter pruning, which represents another major labor-intensive period.
Emphasized that H-2A is
expensive, complicated, and bureaucratically burdensome, particularly for small family farms.
H-2A use should not be assumed to represent an effort to avoid hiring local workers.
Concerns about the broader economic situation facing growers and the possibility that farm closures could result in the loss of both seasonal and year-round farmworker housing were shared.
Worker perspective and additional questions
Based on one member’s experience, H-2A workers can sometimes be extremely productive and may allow farms to recover some of the costs associated with the program. Noted that there are agricultural jobs available in some areas but insufficient workers to fill them.
Raised questions about worker mobility and whether H-2A workers may be effectively tied to a particular employer, as well as how worker protections and conditions are monitored.
The discussion did not fully resolve those questions. Participants acknowledged that the H-2A system is complex and involves multiple agencies and regulatory structures.
Observation that many growers report
high return rates among their H-2A workers, with some growers reporting that 75–95% of their H-2A workforce returns in subsequent years. This is an observation rather than a statewide statistic.
Overall takeaway
There was substantial interest in continuing the H-2A discussion. The group did not attempt to reach a final position on the program.
OHCS proposed a separate follow-up meeting dedicated to H-2A so that the group could explore the issues in greater depth.
Impacts, pressures, and needs
The agenda specifically called for discussion of people, wellbeing, housing/infrastructure, economic pressures, fuel/fertilizer, drought, and smoke/wildfire impacts.
Drought and water
Overview of current water conditions and the Oregon Water Resources Department's (OWRD) work.
Key points:
- OWRD is collecting drought-impact information to help inform the Governor's Office and future policy discussions.
- Existing state drought tools are increasingly viewed as inadequate for current conditions because many are designed primarily around responding after drought occurs.
- Communities are increasingly needing tools that help them adapt to
chronic water scarcity.
- Water sources historically relied upon by agricultural users are becoming less reliable.
- Some agricultural users are experiencing earlier shutoffs and reduced water availability.
- Dry wells and poorly performing wells are affecting individual users and community water systems.
- Water scarcity is affecting agriculture, municipalities, housing development, and broader economic development.
- Emphasized the importance of discussing water availability
early in housing and economic-development projects, before significant resources are invested.
The broader concern is that drought is increasingly becoming a recurring condition rather than an exceptional event, requiring a shift from short-term response toward long-term adaptation.
Smoke and wildfire
DEQ had been scheduled to participate but was unable to attend.
Increased Oregon OSHA activity related to complaints and questions during periods of environmental stress, including:
- Heat is an Oregon OSHA emphasis program.
- Smoke is subject to a newer set of requirements, and although it is not currently an emphasis program in the same way as heat, complaints are investigated.
- Workers and employers have been dealing with significant heat and smoke impacts during the current season.
Conditions in the Columbia Gorge, including impacts from the Grasshopper Fire and smoke are:
- Cherry harvest had largely concluded before the worst impacts of the fire.
- Growers were monitoring evacuation zones and smoke conditions.
- N95 masks were being distributed to growers and workers.
- Growers were receiving reminders and guidance about heat and smoke.
- Some housing facilities have air filtration and mini-split air conditioning.
- Growers have also been receiving information about low-cost air filtration options, including box-fan filters.
- Many agricultural operations have been adjusting work schedules during extreme heat, including stopping work earlier in the day.
Agricultural employers have become increasingly proactive about heat and smoke safety, in part because maintaining a healthy workforce is essential to their operations.
Next steps and action items
The agenda called for confirmation of action items, coordination needs, and discussion of the next meeting. Action items include:
- Schedule a dedicated follow-up meeting on H-2A
- Send a reminder/invitation to the broader group regarding the H-2A follow-up
- Compile and include relevant links/resources in the meeting notes
- Work with Oregon OSHA on resources and links
- Work with WAFLA on relevant H-2A resources and links
- Share wildfire smoke/air-quality guidance with the group
- Continue coordination around drought/water impacts and adaptation
- Send draft notes to agency colleagues the following week
- Send full meeting notes to the group approximately two weeks after the meeting
Meeting structure
OHCS proposed returning the AWHFT to a
90-minute meeting format to allow enough time for substantive discussion.
This was particularly relevant given the amount of time required for the H-2A discussion and the need to address environmental and economic pressures without rushing the end of the meeting.
Key Themes to Carry Forward
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H-2A needs a dedicated follow-up discussion. The August meeting surfaced significant questions but did not have enough time to address them comprehensively.
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Housing compliance and housing financing are closely connected. The Agricultural Workforce Housing Tax Credit may provide an important resource for property improvements.
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Water scarcity is becoming a housing and economic-development issue, not solely an agricultural issue.
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Wildfire smoke and heat are directly affecting agricultural operations, workers, and housing conditions.
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Farm economic viability affects housing availability. Farm closures or sales may result in the loss of both seasonal and year-round farmworker housing.
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The group benefits from cross-agency coordination. Participants repeatedly identified the value of connecting housing, labor, health/safety, water, agriculture, and federal resources.
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Future meetings should allow more time for substantive discussion. A return to 90-minute meetings was proposed.