Sonny Perdue, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, visited Kennett Square last week to sit down with mushroom industry leaders and members from other agricultural sectors to discuss issues affecting their operations.

Perdue participated in a roundtable discussion organized by the Avondale-based American Mushroom Institute. He discussed his commitment to passing the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement that would benefit farmers.

Meanwhile, farmers from AMI and the PA Farm Bureau focused on the importance of a legal agricultural workforce.

Mushrooms are grown throughout the entire year, and therefore do not qualify for the seasonal H2-A guestworker program. Currently, there is also a 20 to 25 percent gap in the harvesting workforce each day. This limits mushroom businesses from growing and allows the local market to import.

“The issue of agricultural labor was not a new topic for the Secretary,” said Rachel Roberts, AMI’s Executive Director.

Perdue has just recently completed a two-year tour of all states. He noted that the issue of a legal and reliable agricultural workforce was the main issue for all agriculture producers.

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