Congressman Bill Huizenga has joined more than 100 colleagues in the U.S. House signing a letter to appropriations leaders asking that there be a wage freeze placed on H-2A visa guestworkers in upcoming spending legislation.

Huizenga tells us the agricultural guest workers get automatic wage adjustments each year based on federal rules, but that’s resulted in American farms being placed at a competitive disadvantage. He says he’s spoken with some farmers fearing for the future of their businesses, and in Berrien County, one grower tells us that’s not just talk.

Fred Leitz of Leitz Farms in Sodus Township tells us growers in Michigan are required to pay substantially more for guestworkers than counterparts in Mexico, Canada, and even some parts of the southern U.S.

“Our biggest problem is the trading practices with Mexico and Canada, to a lesser extent, just because Mexico is, like I said, paying about a buck and a half an hour, and the $22 we’re paying,” Leitz said. “They’re competing with the same products in the same marketplace at the same time.”

Leitz says it’s not like growers in Michigan don’t want to pay their migrant workers. They’re just asking for a temporary freeze on the current wages so they can get their bearings and compete.

“We have unfair competition from our neighboring countries, and if we want to keep the food supply here, we’ve got to get some more fair trade, not free trade.”

Leitz says he and other growers have asked for a H-2A visa guestworker wage freeze for years, but this time, it looks like they’re getting some traction with members of Congress understanding the problem.

Huizenga says the letter from him and colleagues has bipartisan support and represents the majority of the Republican Conference. He’s hoping legislation to address the issue will be coming.

Meanwhile, at Leitz Farms, Fred tells us they’re now planting tomatoes and cucumbers while preparing to harvest the apples and blueberries. The farm employs about 210 H-2A guestworkers per year.