Recorded live at Potato Expo 2026 in Dallas, Texas.

Host Lane Nordlund sits down with some of the nation's leading agriculture advocates to examine the state of agricultural labor in the U.S. and discuss the pressing need for a stable and secure workforce.

The panel explores efforts by the Agriculture Workforce Coalition to drive legislative and regulatory reforms. They address the complex intersection of border security, legal status for the existing workforce, and necessary updates to the H-2A guest worker program. The group also outlines current regulatory hurdles and how potato growers can engage with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to amplify the industry’s voice.

Guests:

• Jonathan Sarager, Senior Federal Government Affairs Director, Western Growers  
• John Walt Boatright, Director, Government Affairs, American Farm Bureau Federation 
• Mike Wenkel, COO, National Potato Council