Show-Me State Times

In 2024, all 1,091 of the H-2A petitions submitted by employers classified under the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry based in Missouri were approved, according to data provided by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services via the H-2A Employer Data Hub.

This represents an approval rate of 100%, which is higher than the nationwide average.

The average approval rate for H-2A petitions across the U.S. stood at 98.8% in 2024, slightly higher than the 98.4% recorded in 2023.

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.

While the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry led the H-2A filings with 1,091 petitions, representing 97.8% 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, 100% were approved.

The Missouri employers with the most approvals classified under the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry during 2024 included Moore and Moore Farms, filing a total of 96 petitions and receiving approvals for all of them, and Schwope Brothers Tree Farms, LLC, which filed 84 petitions and received approvals for all of them.

Compared to 2023, the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector in Missouri saw a 16.7% 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 Petitions	% Approved	% Denied
1	Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	1,091	97.8%	1,091	100%	0%
2	Construction	14	1.3%	14	100%	0%
3	Manufacturing	10	0.9%	10	100%	0%
4	Other Services (except Public Administration)	1	0.1%	1	100%	0%

Rank	Company Name	Total Petitions	% Approved	% Denied
1	Moore and Moore Farms	96	100%	0%
2	Schwope Brothers Tree Farms, LLC	84	100%	0%
3	Lochirco Fruit and Produce, Inc.	55	100%	0%
4	Peters Orchards, Inc.	52	100%	0%
5	Missouri Vegetable Farm, LLC	50	100%	0%
6	Callaway Farrowing, LLC	40	100%	0%
7	Murphy Grain, LLC	36	100%	0%
8	A S, Inc.	27	100%	0%
9	Show ME Farms, LLC	24	100%	0%
10	Gil Schroeder Sod Sales, Inc.	19	100%	0%
11	Wade Farms	18	100%	0%
12	TRI County Electrical Contractors	17	100%	0%
13	Toby Bradfield Farms	16	100%	0%
14	Black Gold Farms, Inc.	14	100%	0%
15	Julie L Talley and Dirk	13	100%	0%
15	Castor River, Inc.	13	100%	0%
17	Happy Hollow Farm, LLC	12	100%	0%
17	Helt S Turf Farm, LLC	12	100%	0%
17	Lee Lewis	12	100%	0%
20	Keeven Bros, Inc.	11	100%	0%
20	HBR Agent Partnership	11	100%	0%
22	Salt Creek Tree Farm	10	100%	0%
22	Keith Mayberry Farms	10	100%	0%
22	Wright Liberty Farms, LLC	10	100%	0%
22	W and L Hunter Enterprises, LLC	10	100%	0%
22	Triple H Farms of Dekalb County, LLC	10	100%	0%
27	Deshon Brothers, LLC	9	100%	0%
27	Jarrett Lawfield	9	100%	0%
27	T and J Farms	9	100%	0%
30	Aaron Jamerson	8	100%	0%
30	Austin Farm Sodding, Inc.	8	100%	0%
30	K and W Nursery Company, Inc.	8	100%	0%
30	Wesley Bickel Farms	8	100%	0%
30	Jacob Woolverton	8	100%	0%
35	Farmright Solutions, LLC	7	100%	0%
35	Tharp Farms	7	100%	0%
35	N E Z, Inc.	7	100%	0%
35	Burke Farms	7	100%	0%
39	Chris Berry Farms	6	100%	0%
39	Brian Shramek Farms	6	100%	0%
39	Lehenbauer Farms, Inc.	6	100%	0%
39	Tomasovics Greenhouses and Nursery, Inc.	6	100%	0%
39	DSA Farms, GP	6	100%	0%
39	Lowrey Farms	6	100%	0%
39	Ddab Farms	6	100%	0%
39	Foxmeadow	6	100%	0%
39	Bert Pierce Farms	6	100%	0%
48	Wickman Garden Village	5	100%	0%
48	Ryan Riley Farms	5	100%	0%
48	731 Farms	5	100%	0%
48	Wolf Bayou Farms	5	100%	0%
48	Conner Family Agent, LLC	5	100%	0%
48	TB Farms Agent, LLC	5	100%	0%
48	Apex Farm Management, LLC	5	100%	0%
55	Parker and Jones Farms	4	100%	0%
55	Mcbee Family Farms, GP	4	100%	0%
55	Matthew Musgraves, LLC	4	100%	0%
55	Flowers Fish Farm, LLC	4	100%	0%
55	BT Cattle Company, LLC	4	100%	0%
55	Zachery Stevens Farms	4	100%	0%
55	Michael Smody	4	100%	0%
55	Ozark Fisheries, Inc.	4	100%	0%
55	Ridgetop Farms, LLC	4	100%	0%
55	Parker Family Farms PTR	4	100%	0%
55	Barry Lee Richardson III	4	100%	0%
55	Ralph Porter	4	100%	0%
55	Porter Farms	4	100%	0%
55	K and K Cattle and Land, Inc.	4	100%	0%
55	RC Farms	4	100%	0%
55	W and D Johnson Trucking, LLC	4	100%	0%
55	Harris Farms	4	100%	0%
55	Farms Partnership of Semo LLC, M.D.	4	100%	0%
55	Wright Farms of Butler County, Inc.	4	100%	0%
55	Cackle Hatchery, LLC	4	100%	0%
55	Tipton Farms, Inc.	4	100%	0%
55	Tanner Seed Farms	4	100%	0%
55	Landes Agent, LLC	4	100%	0%
55	Green Dirt Farm, LLC	4	100%	0%
79	Terry Scott Farms	3	100%	0%
79	New Generation Beekeeping, LLC	3	100%	0%
79	Jones Family Farms	3	100%	0%
79	Potter Farms, Inc.	3	100%	0%
79	Sinclair Bio Resources, LLC	3	100%	0%
79	Rushing River Partnership	3	100%	0%
79	Dustin Neeley Farms	3	100%	0%
79	Wolf Island Farms, Inc.	3	100%	0%
79	Gambill Farms	3	100%	0%
79	Jon and Deidre Thompson	3	100%	0%
79	Propagators Jost, Ltd.	3	100%	0%
79	Joshua Porter	3	100%	0%
79	Littleton Farms, LLC	3	100%	0%
79	J and K Farming, Inc.	3	100%	0%
79	Mcbee Farms LC	3	100%	0%
79	James Hicks JR	3	100%	0%
95	Triple D Farms	2	100%	0%
95	Dreckshage Farms, LLC	2	100%	0%
95	Wilkins and Wilkins Farms	2	100%	0%
95	A and K Guethle Farms, LLC	2	100%	0%
95	D W Jones Farms, Inc.	2	100%	0%
95	Estrella Sisters Cattle, LLC	2	100%	0%
95	Obannon Brothers Partnership	2	100%	0%
95	T and H Feedlot	2	100%	0%
95	Rowland Gengelbach	2	100%	0%
95	Hurst Greenery	2	100%	0%
95	Missouri Pacific Holdings, LLC	2	100%	0%
95	Rushridge Agent, LLC	2	100%	0%
95	Botanical Breeding Company, LLC	2	100%	0%
95	Triangle Planting Company, Inc.	2	100%	0%
95	Choate Farms, Inc.	2	100%	0%
95	Matt Keefhaver	2	100%	0%
95	Layne Partnership	2	100%	0%
95	JR Goodin Farms, LLC	2	100%	0%
95	Fuller Sons Farms	2	100%	0%
95	Mcgarity Farms	2	100%	0%
95	MSF Farm, LLC	2	100%	0%
95	M and M Farms	2	100%	0%
95	RJS Burke Partnership	2	100%	0%
95	Quincy Murphy, Inc.	2	100%	0%
95	Mike Triplett Farms	2	100%	0%
95	Lakeside Farms, LLC	2	100%	0%
95	Stephen Milne	2	100%	0%
95	Laut S Hog Farm, Inc.	2	100%	0%
95	Marshall Companies, LLC	2	100%	0%
95	Wade Farms Trucking, LLC	2	100%	0%
95	American Forest Products	2	100%	0%
95	David Klipfel	2	100%	0%
127	Stokes Mayberry Gin	1	100%	0%
127	Harrison Farms	1	100%	0%
127	Tally and Tally, Inc.	1	100%	0%
127	Steve Mitchell Quarter Horses, LLC	1	100%	0%
127	Jeff Goff	1	100%	0%
127	Blake Richardson	1	100%	0%
127	Double R Operations	1	100%	0%
127	Tim Mayberry	1	100%	0%
127	Plendl Feed Service	1	100%	0%
127	David Mayberry	1	100%	0%
127	Jowler Creek Cattle Company	1	100%	0%
127	Yield Technology Service, LLC	1	100%	0%
127	Hoggard Farms	1	100%	0%
127	Goodin and Company, LLC	1	100%	0%
127	Wright Riverview Farms, LLC	1	100%	0%
127	John Jason Rodewald	1	100%	0%
127	Stagner Fertilizer	1	100%	0%

Information in this story was obtained from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The source data can be found here.