AEWR Methodology Decision
AEWR Methodology Decision
AEWR Methodology Decision
September 3, 2025
By Bob Larson, Ag Information Network
From the Ag Information Network, this is today’s Fruit Grower Report. Some changes are being made to help farmers during these difficult times.
Enrique Gastelum, CEO at the Worker and Farmer Labor Association, says a recent court decision in Louisiana overturns the Department of Labor’s Adverse Effect Wage Rate methodology rule …
GASTELUM … “So, that was in 2023, one of Biden’s, he passed three regulations during his administration. That was the second one that came out and that was the one that forced farmers to pay much higher hourly wages to specialized job duties.”
Lumping certain tasks, Gastelum says to higher paying jobs outside of agriculture …
GASTELUM … “It forced employers not only to pay higher wages, but then they had to segregate these contracts, and now you’re paying extra government filing fees, agent fees to separate out these workers because all workers on a contract have to earn the same wage.”
Sometimes, Gastelum says $5-to-$6 more per hour …
GASTELUM … “This is big in that it, basically, DOL said, ‘Uncle’ on the legal case and the court said, okay, great, we’re going to make it a nation-wide injunction and permanently pull back the rule.”
This Florida lawsuit, Gastelum says has been two years in the making …
GASTELUM … “The Trump Administration, Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is listening to farmers. Even without Congressional action, they’re trying to do whatever they can at the DOL side to clean things up. And so, that’s promising.”
Again, that is Enrique Gastelum, CEO at WAFLA.