Attorney General Chris Carr has addressed a letter to President Donald Trump's nominees for the U.S. Secretaries of Labor and Agriculture concerning the rising Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for H-2A guest farm workers. If the current AEWR is implemented in 2025, Georgia farmers are expected to experience a 9.5 percent increase in wages for using H-2A labor.
Carr expressed concern about the impact on farmers who are already dealing with financial challenges due to Hurricane Helene's effects on net income. "Our farmers are already battling sharp declines in net income due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, and the wage increases imposed by the Biden administration will make farming simply unaffordable," he stated. He also emphasized his intention to collaborate with President Trump to reduce costs for Georgia's agricultural sector.
Previously, Carr had reached out to Labor Secretary Julie Su and Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack, urging them not to implement these wage increases. However, his request was denied by the Biden administration.
For further details, copies of both letters sent by Carr can be accessed through provided links.