Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership/ur-m-jaddou-director-us-citizenship-and-immigration-services
Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership/ur-m-jaddou-director-us-citizenship-and-immigration-services
This represents an approval rate of 100%, which is higher than the nationwide average.
That year, the average approval rate for H-2A petitions across the U.S. stood at 98.8%, slightly higher than 2023's 98.4%.
Employers are classified under industries based on their reported operations and may be involved in multiple industries.
The H-2A visa program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for temporary or seasonal agricultural jobs when enough domestic workers are unavailable. Employers must demonstrate a short-term need and that hiring foreign workers will not negatively affect U.S. workers' wages or working conditions. These jobs must first be offered to U.S. workers, and both domestic and H-2A workers must receive at least the highest of the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) or other wage benchmarks.
The Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry led the H-2A petition approvals in the SE Missouri News publication area during 2024, filing a total of 413 petitions (99.8% of all submissions) and receiving 413 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 100%. The Other Services (except Public Administration) industry followed, with one petition (0.2% of all submissions) and an approval rate of 100%.
The local employers with most temporary visa requests during 2024 included Moore and Moore Farms, which filed 96 petitions with an approval rate of 100%, Murphy Grain, LLC with 36 petitions and an approval rate of 100%, and Toby Bradfield Farms, which filed 16 petitions with an approval rate of 100%.
Compared to 2023, SE Missouri News publication area saw a 50% increase in the number of seasonal agricultural visas during 2024.
The United States admits around 1 million legal immigrants annually, most of whom receive permanent residence (green cards) through family sponsorship or employment-based visas. In 2023, about 1.2 million immigrants were granted green cards, a return to pre-pandemic levels. Temporary visa programs, such as the H-1B for highly skilled workers and H-2A for seasonal agricultural workers, also play a critical role in filling workforce needs.
Public opinion on immigration varies, with 46% of Americans favoring maintaining current legal immigration levels, according to a 2024 Pew Research Center survey. Additionally, 42% believe that highly skilled workers, such as scientists, doctors, and programmers, should be prioritized for legal immigration, compared to 25% who prioritize workers filling labor shortages and 19% who emphasize family sponsorship. Despite this, family sponsorship remains the most common path to permanent residency, accounting for 63% of green cards issued in 2023.
Due to manual data entry and the use of paper forms by applicants or petitioners, occasional discrepancies in employer names, tax IDs, locations, or other details may be found in the H-2A Employer Data Hub provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is the data used in this article. Despite these potential issues, USCIS works to ensure accuracy.
| Rank | Industry | Total Petitions | % of All Submissions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 413 | 99.8% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 0.2% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moore and Moore Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 96 | 100% | 0% |
| Murphy Grain, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 36 | 100% | 0% |
| Toby Bradfield Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| Black Gold Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Castor River, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| HBR Agent Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| W and L Hunter Enterprises, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Keith Mayberry Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Jarrett Lawfield | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| T and J Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Jacob Woolverton | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Aaron Jamerson | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Burke Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| N E Z, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| DSA Farms, GP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Foxmeadow | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Lowrey Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Ddab Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Bert Pierce Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Wolf Bayou Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Ryan Riley Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Conner Family Agent, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| 731 Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Barry Lee Richardson III | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| RC Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Harris Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Parker and Jones Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Flowers Fish Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Zachery Stevens Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Farms Partnership of Semo LLC, M.D. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Ridgetop Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Parker Family Farms PTR | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Tanner Seed Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Tipton Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Jones Family Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Littleton Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Dustin Neeley Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Terry Scott Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Wolf Island Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Rushing River Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Jon and Deidre Thompson | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Wilkins and Wilkins Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| A and K Guethle Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Lakeside Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| David Klipfel | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mcgarity Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| RJS Burke Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Triangle Planting Company, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Triple D Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Layne Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Rushridge Agent, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Choate Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Marshall Companies, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Mike Triplett Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| M and M Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| JR Goodin Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Quincy Murphy, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Missouri Pacific Holdings, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Fuller Sons Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Blake Richardson | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| David Mayberry | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Stokes Mayberry Gin | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Tim Mayberry | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hoggard Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Goodin and Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Hoggard Agent and Trucking, LLC | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Jeff Goff | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Harrison Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
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