Ted H. Kim, Associate Director Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate for USCIS | https://www.naco.org/
Ted H. Kim, Associate Director Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate for USCIS | https://www.naco.org/
All of these petitions submitted were approved.
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 average approval rate for H-2A petitions across the United States in 2024 stood at 98.8%, slightly higher than the 98.4% recorded in 2023. Statewide, employers across all industries filed 1,117 job orders during the same period, with an approval rate of 100%.
While the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry led the H-2A filings with 1,091, representing 97.7% of all submissions in Missouri during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Construction industry, which accounted for 14 petitions and represented 1.3% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Construction industry, all of them were approved.
The Missouri employers with the most petitions categorized under the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector during 2024 included Moore and Moore Farms, which filed 96 petitions, Schwope Brothers Tree Farms, LLC with 84 petitions, and Lochirco Fruit and Produce, Inc., which filed 55 petitions.
Compared to 2023, the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector in the state saw a 14.1% increase in the number of H-2A petitions filed 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 | 1,091 | 97.7% | 100% | 0% |
| 2 | Construction | 14 | 1.3% | 100% | 0% |
| 3 | Manufacturing | 10 | 0.9% | 100% | 0% |
| 4 | Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1 | <0.1% | 100% | 0% |
| Company Name | Industry | Total Petitions | % Approved | % Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moore and Moore Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 96 | 100% | 0% |
| Schwope Brothers Tree Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 84 | 100% | 0% |
| Lochirco Fruit and Produce, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 55 | 100% | 0% |
| Peters Orchards, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 52 | 100% | 0% |
| Missouri Vegetable Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 50 | 100% | 0% |
| Callaway Farrowing, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 40 | 100% | 0% |
| Murphy Grain, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 36 | 100% | 0% |
| A S, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 27 | 100% | 0% |
| Show ME Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 24 | 100% | 0% |
| Gil Schroeder Sod Sales, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 19 | 100% | 0% |
| Wade Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 18 | 100% | 0% |
| TRI County Electrical Contractors | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 17 | 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% |
| Julie L Talley and Dirk | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Castor River, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 13 | 100% | 0% |
| Happy Hollow Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Helt S Turf Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| Lee Lewis | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 12 | 100% | 0% |
| HBR Agent Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 11 | 100% | 0% |
| Keeven Bros, Inc. | 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% |
| Triple H Farms of Dekalb County, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Salt Creek Tree Farm | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| Wright Liberty Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 10 | 100% | 0% |
| T and J Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Jarrett Lawfield | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Deshon Brothers, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 9 | 100% | 0% |
| Aaron Jamerson | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Farmright Solutions, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Jacob Woolverton | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| K and W Nursery Company, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Austin Farm Sodding, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Wesley Bickel Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| MK Phillips Construction, LLC | Construction | 8 | 100% | 0% |
| Tharp Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| N E Z, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Burke Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 7 | 100% | 0% |
| Lowrey Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Lehenbauer Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Bert Pierce Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Brian Shramek Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Schrage Farms, LLC | Manufacturing | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Chris Berry Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| MLRS Construction, LLC | Construction | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Ddab Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Foxmeadow | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| Tomasovics Greenhouses and Nursery, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| DSA Farms, GP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 6 | 100% | 0% |
| 731 Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Apex Farm Management, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Ryan Riley Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| TB Farms Agent, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Wolf Bayou Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Wickman Garden Village | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Conner Family Agent, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 5 | 100% | 0% |
| Matthew Musgraves, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Mcbee Family Farms, GP | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Farms Partnership of Semo LLC, M.D. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Michael Smody | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Zachery Stevens Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Wright Farms of Butler County, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| W and D Johnson Trucking, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Tipton Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Tanner Seed Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Ridgetop Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| RC Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Ozark Fisheries, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Parker and Jones Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Parker Family Farms PTR | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Ralph Porter | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Porter Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Cackle Hatchery, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| BT Cattle Company, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Harris Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Flowers Fish Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Augusta Wine Company | Manufacturing | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Barry Lee Richardson III | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| K and K Cattle and Land, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Landes Agent, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Green Dirt Farm, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 4 | 100% | 0% |
| Joshua Porter | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Jones Family Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Jon and Deidre Thompson | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| James Hicks JR | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Dustin Neeley Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Potter Farms, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Propagators Jost, Ltd. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Rushing River Partnership | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| New Generation Beekeeping, LLC | 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% |
| Littleton Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Sinclair Bio Resources, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| J and K Farming, Inc. | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Mcbee Farms LC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Gambill Farms | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 3 | 100% | 0% |
| Dreckshage Farms, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
| Estrella Sisters Cattle, LLC | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 2 | 100% | 0% |
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