Senate committee backs resolution urging federal changes to seasonal-worker rules for crawfish industry

Representative Butler introduced House Concurrent Resolution 77, saying Louisiana’s crawfish industry is part of the state’s culture and economy and that processors and producers face critical labor shortages that threaten production and family businesses. She asked the committee to send a message to Congress to recognize crawfish work under H-2A and to support improvements to H-2B.

Commissioner Strain testified that federal timing, caps and allocation procedures for guest-worker programs left many processors short of staff during the season, describing how late allocations and administrative delays prevented firms from securing needed workers. He suggested state-level administration could be more responsive to local needs.

Greg Delaney, president of the Seasonal Employment Alliance, told the committee his organization represents roughly 3,700 small and seasonal employers and said local economies can be severely affected when H-2B slots are limited. He described a proposed “certified seasonal employer” exemption that would exempt firms with a five-year clean participation record from the H-2B cap.

Lisa Loop, owner of AMK Landscape Services and past president of the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association, said labor shortages have reduced truck fleets and forced owners to perform frontline work, and warned of public-health and quality-of-life effects if crews cannot maintain properties.

Multiple agriculture organizations were listed in support during the hearing. Senator Bass moved to report HCR 77 favorably; the committee reported the resolution favorably by voice (no formal roll-call vote was recorded). The resolution asks federal decision-makers to consider the committee’s recommended changes to H-2A/H-2B rules to protect processors, growers and seasonal employers in Louisiana.