In 2024, employers located within the NE Texas Business Daily publication area submitted a total of 207 H-2A petitions, according to data provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the H-2A Employer Data Hub.
Every petition submitted in the publication area received approval.
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.
Nationwide, the average approval rate for H-2A petitions in 2024 was 98.8%, a slight increase from 98.4% in 2023.
The Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry led the H-2A filings in NE Texas Business Daily publication area during 2024, with 201 petitions (97.1% of all submissions), and an approval rate of 100%. Meanwhile, the Manufacturing industry was the second largest contributor, filing five petitions (2.4% of the total), with an approval rate of 100%.
The Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector dominated H-2A petition filings within the NE Texas Business Daily publication area in 2024, accounting for 201 petitions or 97.1% of the total, all of which were approved. The Manufacturing sector followed with five petitions, representing 2.4% of submissions, also with a 100% approval rate.
Among local employers, Strehlow Bees, Inc. led with 60 H-2A petitions, all approved, while Wiggins Watermelons, LLC filed 48 petitions, also achieving full approval.
The number of H-2A petitions filed in the NE Texas Business Daily coverage area declined by 3.3% in 2024 compared to the previous year.
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 | 201 | 97.1% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Manufacturing | 5 | 2.4% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 0.5% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strehlow Bees, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 60 | 100% | 0% |
| Wiggins Watermelons, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 48 | 100% | 0% |
| Altman Specialty Plants CA Lake Mathews, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 16 | 100% | 0% |
| Double T Nursery, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 14 | 100% | 0% |
| Miller Hay Sales | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Cooper Creek Growers | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Harrison Family Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Bee Importers, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Bruce Miller Nursery | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Bio Plant Nutrient, LLC | Manufacturing | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Growing Greener, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Wade Pennington and Sons, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Scarmardo Cattle Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Trotter and Scarmardo Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Puzzlewood Ranch Company | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Southern Bulb Company, Ltd. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Lujan Transport, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Randolph C Baker | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Saye S Ranch | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Lyles Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Turner Ranch, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Iot Holdings, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Ecurie Morin Performance Horses, LLC | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| Brandon Wilson | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 1 | 100% | 0% |
Information in this story was obtained from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The source data can be found here.
