Washington Fruit Growers Trim Workforce: 928 H‑2A Workers Laid Off

As the harvest season winds down in Washington’s fertile fruit belt, 928 H‑2A workers are exiting permanently. Borton & Sons is cutting staff from November 8‑15, illustrating the stark reality of seasonal labor cycles in U.S. agriculture.

Post‑Harvest Labor Shockwave

■928 workers will be permanently laid off between Nov 8‑15.

■This accounts for roughly 6% of the 14,831 agricultural layoffs reported statewide from Nov 2024‑Nov 2025.

■1,561 H‑2A workers were similarly cut by Stemilt Ag Services in the same month.

■1,368 workers were let go by AgriMACS during November 2025.

H‑2A Visa Overhaul & New Wage Framework

■In 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor revamped H‑2A compensation, anchoring wages to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

■Workers are now split into entry‑level and experienced pay tiers.

■Employer‑provided housing value can be deducted from cash wages, lowering out‑of‑pocket labor costs.

Agricultural Output & Economic Ripple Effects

■Washington produced 7.16 billion pounds of apples in 2025, generating roughly $1.89 billion in farm‑level value.

■About 5.66 billion pounds entered the fresh‑market channel, translating to approximately $1.75 billion in revenue.

■82% of certified H‑2A positions are farm laborers; Washington accounts for 9% of all national H‑2A certifications.

Ege Kaan – Wall Street & U.S. Macro Strategy Lead: “Seasonal labor swings are a normal part of agricultural economics and do not necessarily signal a firm’s failure. However, the 2025 H‑2A wage reforms—especially the housing‑cost offset—tighten employer cost structures and could compress short‑term profit margins. Investors should monitor cost pressures on agribusiness input suppliers and logistics firms, and stay alert to any further regulatory tweaks to the H‑2A program.”