AGRICULTURAL WORKERS ARE A CRITICAL PART OF THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY, AND THEIR EFFORTS ENABLEAMERICAN CONSUMERS TO MAINTAIN ACCESS TO A STABLE SOURCE OF DOMESTICALLY-PRODUCED FOOD.HOWEVER, A MOUNTING BODY OF EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THE SUPPLY OF DOMESTIC FARM WORKERS ISDECLINING AND THAT FARM LABOR SHORTAGES HAVE BECOME A CHRONIC PROBLEM. THIS TREND HAS CREATEDSIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES FOR AMERICAN FARMERS. MOREOVER, AGRICULTURAL WAGES HAVE LAGGED BEHINDTHOSE IN SEVERAL OTHER KEY SECTORS THAT COMPETE FOR THE SAME LABOR POOL, ADDING PRESSURE ON ANALREADY TIGHT FARM LABOR MARKET. IN RESPONSE TO ONGOING LABOR SHORTAGES, MANY AGRICULTURALEMPLOYERS HAVE TURNED TO THE H-2A VISA PROGRAM TO MEET THEIR LABOR NEEDS, WHICH IS TYPICALLY MOREEXPENSIVE THAN HIRING DOMESTIC WORKERS.WE WILL HOLD A CONFERENCE TO INVESTIGATE CHALLENGES THAT AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ARE FACING, DISCUSSPOTENTIAL SOLUTIONS, AND PROVIDE AGRICULTURAL STAKEHOLDERS WITH INFORMATION AND RESOURCES TO HELPADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE CONFERENCE ARE TO: (I) DETERMINE THE MOST PRESSING LABOR CHALLENGESBEING FACED BY AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES, (II) IDENTIFY INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENTRESOURCES THAT CAN HELP ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES AND DISSEMINATE THIS INFORMATION TO AGRICULTURALSTAKEHOLDERS, AND(III)FIND AND DISCUSS (AMONGST ACADEMIA, INDUSTRY, AND GOVERNMENT) POTENTIAL POLICYAND REGULATORY SOLUTIONS.