Citrus Harvesting Trends in Florida

Abstract

Harvesting citrus is manual and labor intensive, therefore, the cost of labor is a key component of harvesting. Domestic workers for harvesting are in short supply, therefore, harvesting companies in Florida (and in other states) end up hiring a large proportion of foreign workers under the H-2A temporary agricultural program. The program allows hiring non-US citizens to work on farms during the harvesting season. The wage rate for those workers under the H-2A program is called the Adverse Effect on Wage Rates (AEWR). In this article, we use data to analyze the trends for harvesting costs in recent years, which will provide valuable insights to stakeholders.