b'forCongresstopasstheOceanlabor to plant and harvest crops. ToAdditionally, the Senate should act to Shipping Reform Act (OSRA), which isaddress the crisis, last year the Housestabilize the current improperly docu-intended to ease the supply chain bot- ofRepresentativespassedtheNPC- mented workforce through a program tleneck at the ports. The legislation issupported bipartisan Farm Workforcethat incentivizes foreign-born workers designed to reduce the burden uponModernization Actthe second timeto remain in American agriculture. We shippers who are suffering from sup- it has passed the bill consecutive ses- believe these pieces must be in place ply chain disruptions impacting inter- sions of Congress. NPC and our part- beforeanyadditionalenforcement modalfreighttransitingthroughnersintheAgricultureWorkforcemeasurescanbeimplemented. commercial seaports. Currently, ship- CoalitionarenowencouragingtheMandatory E-Verify (alone or with an pers are having to pay daily demur- Senate to improve upon that bill andagricultureexemption)wouldbe rage charges (or monetary penalties)createtheopportunitytosecureaextremely destructive to our industry forcontainersthatarestuckinsea- long-term fix to this crisis. and cannot move forward without an ports through no fault of the shipper.ag labor solution. This is costing thousands of unneces- Webelievetheseimprovements sarydollarsandkeepingvaluableshould focus on providing U.S. agri- These are just a few of the policy pri-equipmentidle,therebydrivingupcultureaccesstoaguestworkerpro- orities being supported by U.S. potato freightratesduetoloweredsupply.gram with the flexibility to meet thegrowersthisyear.Tofindoutmore The NPC-backed OSRA would prohib- currentandfuturedemandsofabouthowthegrower-ledNational it these types of burdens and utilizeAmericanagriculturethatincludes:Potato Council is fighting for policies data to avoid future bottlenecks.(1)apredictablemarket-basedwagethat protect the long-term health of rate; (2) responsive visa terms and noourindustry,visit:nationalpotato-Addressing Workforce Challengeshard caps on participation; (3) andcouncil. org/advocacy.Your readers are acutely aware of thereducing the costs of program partici-challenges faced by agriculture to findpation, among other priorities.APRIL 2022 POTATO GROWER 9'