The following may be attributed to Ron Gibson, President of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation: “We appreciate Representative Curtis co-sponsoring the Farm Workforce Modernization Act because he recognizes that America’s farmers and ranchers desperately need Congress to address agriculture’s labor needs. Nothing would be more welcome than legislation that truly addresses the needs of both growers and workers, and we are working toward that goal, however, earlier draft versions of this bill raised significant questions and concerns. 

“Local farms and ranches are often an important economic engine in small, rural communities in Utah and in the rest of America, so a fundamental question we are asking is whether this bill contributes to a level playing field or instead drives agricultural production out of the U.S.  We recognize that no piece of legislation is perfect, and we look forward to working with Congress to see how this will impact farmers and ranchers and how we can make this bill better.”