New California law raises farmworker minimum wage to $19.75 an hour

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. -- California farmworkers employed through the federal H-2A guest worker program, along with local employees performing the same work, will see a wage increase under a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Assembly Bill 2646 establishes a minimum hourly wage of $19.75 for covered agricultural workers, raising pay for H-2A farmworkers from $16.90 an hour beginning Jan. 1. The law also applies to corresponding domestic workers employed alongside them.

Supporters of the measure say it restores a wage floor that was previously reduced and will help some of California's lowest-paid workers. Agricultural groups and growers, however, warn the increase could raise production costs and create unintended consequences for farms already facing higher expenses.

"These are the lowest-paid workers in the most expensive state here in California," said Assemblymember Maggy Krell, D-Sacramento, during an assembly floor reading on the bill. "This is a very modest bill that restores farmworker pay at $19.75 an hour. I've been told by many farmers that they actually pay more than this. Indeed, this is simply a restoration of the floor. This is not a wage. This is a bottom-line wage that'll help our farmworkers who bring so much to California."

Krell also argued that many agricultural workers continue to struggle financially.

"But the truth of the matter is that those who are doing the hard work, waking up before dawn, and working on those farms are barely getting by, and some are not getting by at all," she said.

At his organic cantaloupe farm in western Fresno County, longtime farmer Joe Del Bosque employs about 150 seasonal workers during the summer harvest.

"Some of these people have been with us for 10, 15, 20 and even more years. So, they come back and we as employers want to encourage them to come back every year and how we do that is we try to make sure that they're happy with their job," he said.

Workers speaking to Action News at the farm said agricultural jobs help provide for their families.

"I do this year after year," one worker said. "I do it because I like it and because it's necessary, but also for the family."

Supporters of the law say the higher wage is needed to better compensate agricultural employees for difficult and skilled work. State Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Bakersfield, voted in favor of the bill.

"I support farm workers. I support them getting paid more. They work day in and day out. It's very skilled work, and they need to be rightfully compensated," Hurtado said. "My concerns really stem around the unintended consequences which could come out of this bill."

Del Bosque voiced similar concerns, arguing that farms are already dealing with rising costs.

"This recent bill signed into law by Governor Newsom probably couldn't have come at a worse time," he said. "We're paying huge bills for fuel. We're paying huge bills for fertilizer and now our labor could become much more expensive."

Del Bosque said growers may be forced to absorb higher labor costs or pass them along through the supply chain.

"People are complaining about affordability. They're complaining about the cost of food. They're complaining about job loss and businesses moving out of the state, and then they come up with this bill that is no doubt going to increase the cost to farmers and eventually to consumers," he said.

He also warned that some farms could reduce jobs or hours.

"If wages are increased, farmers are going to try and cut back on jobs. Cut back on hours. It's going to impact these people in a negative way," Del Bosque said.

More than a dozen grower organizations opposed AB 2646. The law requires the minimum hourly wage for covered agricultural employees and corresponding workers to be $19.75 per hour. Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, and each January thereafter, the wage will be adjusted based on the cost-of-living adjustment used for Social Security benefits.

The United Farm Workers, which sponsored the bill, did not respond to a request for comment. The new minimum wage takes effect Jan. 1.

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