PAW PAW, Mich., Oct. 1, 2024 – Today, the Protect Our Produce coalition and a group of Michigan fruit and vegetable growers met with U.S. Representative Bill Huizenga (MI-04) to discuss the negative impact the escalating Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) has on family farms, their workers, and the thousands of Michiganders who support the industry in fruit and vegetable packing, processing and other supply chain businesses. The AEWR provision has made Michigan uncompetitive and is driving production of healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables out of the state.
The cost of labor under the AEWR in Michigan has risen 37% since 2019. In the same period, the state’s minimum wage increased by just 9%. Labor accounts for such a high share of overall business expenses for the average Michigan grower (40%-55%) that it is no longer profitable to grow many fruits and vegetables locally.
“Labor costs are rising at an unpredictable rate under the current AEWR system, which has already forced many of our growers to cut back on production of fruits and vegetables to simply stay in business,” said Jamie Clover Adams, Executive Director of Michigan Asparagus. “Folks in our industry recognize the risk, but our goal is to bring attention to the fact that if this industry goes away, every American will be impacted. This is so much bigger than a Michigan ag issue – it’s a national food security issue.”
The coalition met with Congressman Huizenga to discuss how to increase awareness of this issue beyond Michigan and urge Congress to follow Congressman Huizenga’s lead and find a solution. Growers from across Michigan joined to share the struggles they face and what the future of locally sourced produce will look like if changes aren’t made soon.
To learn more about the coalition and the challenges Michigan’s fruit and vegetable growers face, visit protectourproduce.com.
About Protect Our Produce
Protect Our Produce was established in 2024 to create awareness about the negative impact the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) provision is having on Michigan fruit and vegetable growers and Michigan’s fruit and vegetable economy. The annual, mandated rise in AEWR levels has made family farms unprofitable and many are choosing to opt out of production of hand-picked produce such as asparagus, blueberries, broccoli, squashes and other key fruits and vegetables grown in Michigan. Coalition members include Michigan Asparagus, Michigan Farm Bureau, Potato Growers of Michigan, Michigan State Horticultural Society, Michigan Vegetable Council, Cherry Marketing Institute, Michigan Blueberry Commission, Michigan Tree Fruit Commission, and Michigan Agribusiness Association.
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