Episcopal ministry responds to farmworker wage cuts in North Carolina

Episcopal Farmworker Ministry, based in Dunn in the Diocese of East Carolina, called for aid after the federal government reduced H-2A visa worker wages this year. Hourly rates for seasonal farmworkers dropped significantly across states; in North Carolina, wages fell from $16.16 to $12.78 per hour. The reduction has forced farmworkers to choose between supporting themselves and sending money to families abroad, according to Rev. Fred Clarkson, executive convener of the ministry and priest-in-charge of Iglesia de la Sagrada Familia. Clarkson said at least 70 percent of farmworkers the ministry serves are considering not returning next season because they can earn equivalent wages in Mexico while remaining with their families. Administrative minister Allison Herrarte reported that 20 percent fewer Mexican citizens came to North Carolina under H-2A visas this year, with steeper declines anticipated for 2027. The wage restructuring, implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor in October 2025, is driving labor shortages that leave crops unharvested and contribute to food price inflation, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture reports. Episcopal Farmworker Ministry has served seasonal workers since 1978, primarily those harvesting sweet potatoes, vegetables, fruit, Christmas trees, and tobacco. The Episcopal Church has supported farmworker rights since 1973 and continues advocating for the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

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Source: Episcopal News Service — https://episcopalnewsservice.org/2026/08/06/episcopal-farmworker-ministry-calls-for-aid-as-government-decreases-h-2a-workers-wages/