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Tuesday, October 21, 2025

How many H-2A petitions were made by Iowa employers classified under the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry during 2024?

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Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership/ur-m-jaddou-director-us-citizenship-and-immigration-services

Ur Mendoza Jaddou, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. | https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/organization/leadership/ur-m-jaddou-director-us-citizenship-and-immigration-services

In 2024, 2,466 of the 2,617 H-2A petitions submitted by employers classified under the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry based in Iowa 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 94.2%, which is lower 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 2,617 petitions, representing 99.2% of all submissions in Iowa during 2024, the next largest contributor was the Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services industry, which accounted for 13 petitions and represented 0.5% of the total. Among petitions from employers in the Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services industry, 100% were approved.

The Iowa employers with the most approvals classified under the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting industry during 2024 included Alewelt Concrete, Inc., filing a total of 639 petitions and receiving 508 approvals, resulting in an approval rate of 79.5%, and Farm Labor Services of Iowa, Inc., which filed 363 petitions and received approvals for all of them.

Compared to 2023, the Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting sector in Iowa saw a 19.3% decrease 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.

H-2A Petitions by Industry in Iowa, 2024

RankIndustryTotal Petitions% of All SubmissionsApproved Petitions% Approved% Denied
1Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting2,61799.2%2,46694.2%5.8%
2Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services130.5%13100%0%
3Other Services (except Public Administration)80.3%8100%0%

Top Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting Industry Employers in Iowa by Number of H-2A Petitions Issued in 2024

RankCompany NameTotal Petitions% Approved% Denied
1Alewelt Concrete, Inc.63979.5%20.5%
2Farm Labor Services of Iowa, Inc.363100%0%
3Northeast Iowa Artificial Insemination, Inc.256100%0%
4Rodriguez Labor, LLC100100%0%
5Southern Builders, LLC7678.9%21.1%
6Flores Construction, LLC64100%0%
7Country Nest, Corp.60100%0%
8Paragon Construction Solutions, LLC50100%0%
9Iowa Select Farms, LLLP43100%0%
10Integrity Builders and Supply, Inc.41100%0%
11A R O Construction, LLC39100%0%
12Drew Brandt Construction, Inc.38100%0%
13Summit Farms, LLC30100%0%
13Midwest Grain Bins, LLC30100%0%
15Brenneman Pork, LLLP28100%0%
15North Star Agent Construction, Inc.28100%0%
15Santi Construction, LLC28100%0%
18KR Farm Labor Services, LLC2696.2%3.8%
19Growmark, Inc.23100%0%
20Landus Cooperative21100%0%
214L Construction, Inc.20100%0%
21Innovative Agent Services Company20100%0%
21Falcon Contracted Services, LLC20100%0%
24Century Farms Partnership19100%0%
25The Spud Company, LLC18100%0%
26Agland Custom Harvesting17100%0%
26Whiskey Creek Arkansas17100%0%
26K and T Olson Cattle17100%0%
29Matthew J Mohrfeld14100%0%
30Eichelberger Farms, Inc.1291.7%8.3%
30Hand Nutrients Management, L L C12100%0%
30Cy Ment Construction, Corp.12100%0%
33JCS Family Farms11100%0%
33ESW Construction, Inc.11100%0%
33Vermeer and Sons Farms1190.9%9.1%
36Ram Nutrient Applications, LLC10100%0%
36CLA Don Farms, Inc.10100%0%
36Viking Agent Equipment, LLC10100%0%
39MBM Construction, LLC8100%0%
39Dennis Michael Bergan8100%0%
39Buch Agent Pumping, LLC8100%0%
39Agent Advantage Systems, Inc.8100%0%
39Bradley and Connie Feckers8100%0%
39Orchard Construction, Inc.8100%0%
39Injectsom, LLC8100%0%
39Vosco Partnership887.5%12.5%
47Premier Pumping, LLC7100%0%
47Precision Pumping, LLC7100%0%
47Lanus Enterprises, LLC7100%0%
47TJ Thomas Farms, LLC7100%0%
47I M Possible Productions, LLC7100%0%
52Quirk Concrete, Inc.6100%0%
52Cedar Oak Farms, LLC6100%0%
52Rock River Agent Transport, LLC6100%0%
52JW Ready Mix and Construction, Inc.6100%0%
56Iowa River Agent, LLC5100%0%
56J a Buseman Farms5100%0%
56Aspinwall Cooperative Company5100%0%
56Hillcreek Livestock Company5100%0%
56Josh Berte Construction, Inc.5100%0%
56HT Hunter, LLC5100%0%
56Buline Family Farms, LLC5100%0%
56Black Dirt Drainage, LLC5100%0%
56Buch Farms, LLC5100%0%
56Provision Cattle Company, LLC5100%0%
56CD Custom Agent, LLC5100%0%
67HF Farms4100%0%
67Struecker, Inc.4100%0%
67Midwest Custom Agent Aviation, Inc.4100%0%
67I 35 Farms, GP4100%0%
67RJGP, Inc.4100%0%
67Center Grove Orchard, Inc.4100%0%
67Meadowvale Dairy, LLC4100%0%
67Weiland Farms4100%0%
67Eichelberger Transportation, LLC4100%0%
67Fox Ridge Farm, Inc.4100%0%
67Youngblood Land and Livestock4100%0%
67Murray Mcmurray Hatchery, Inc.4100%0%
67Calumet Manure Management, Inc.4100%0%
67Alex Butikofer Farms4100%0%
67Scott Niess4100%0%
67Jordahl Farms4100%0%
83Gemberling Excavating, Inc.3100%0%
83Roger Howe3100%0%
83Besch Nutrient Applicators3100%0%
83Pecc, Inc.3100%0%
83Harold a Trask3100%0%
83SFI, Inc.3100%0%
83Todd Schaben3100%0%
83Nels, LLC3100%0%
83Kuchenbecker Excavating, Inc.3100%0%
83Jacg, LLC3100%0%
83WRF Agent Services, LLC3100%0%
83Matthew Mccarthy3100%0%
83Flores Construction3100%0%
83Janes Farmland, LLC3100%0%
83Martin Family Farms3100%0%
83Justin Ostrander3100%0%
83Pork and Beans, LLC3100%0%
83City View Farms, LLC3100%0%
83Greenfield Farms, Inc.3100%0%
83CD Custom Farms, LLC3100%0%
103Dan Funke Farms2100%0%
103Couser Cattle Company2100%0%
103M S Pearson, Inc.2100%0%
103Van Ko Chopping, LLC2100%0%
103Richardson Hauling2100%0%
103Cedar Redworks, LLC2100%0%
103Besch Trucking, Inc.2100%0%
103Agent Enterprises II2100%0%
103Triple U Ranch, LLC2100%0%
103Phyllis B Steenhoek2100%0%
103Jorgensen Equipment Company, LLC2100%0%
103Kilburg Farms, Inc.2100%0%
103John Cherland, Inc.2100%0%
103Danner Family Grain2100%0%
103Van Kooten Farms Manure Pumping, Inc.2100%0%
103Crop Transport, LLC2100%0%
103George Johnston2100%0%
103Trilight, Inc.2100%0%
103Vierkandt Farms2100%0%
103Adam Harvey, LLC2100%0%
103Nichols Equipment, LLC2100%0%
103Empire Land and Cattle II2100%0%
103Marshall Ridge Farms, LLC2100%0%
103Jaeger Custom Hauling, LLC2100%0%
103Seaton Flying Services, Inc.2100%0%
103Streit Livestock, LLC2100%0%
103Helena Agri Enterprises, LLC2100%0%
130Triple a Family Farms General Partnership1100%0%
130Dat Enterprises1100%0%
130V and T Collison Farms, Inc.1100%0%
130Fremont Land Farms LC1100%0%
130Jenseneca, Inc.1100%0%
130Wells Farms South, LLC1100%0%
130Kendal Martin Farms1100%0%
130Cher Pork, LLC1100%0%
130KD Farm Operations, Inc.1100%0%
130David a Hoefer1100%0%
130Pleasant Valley Farms, LLC1100%0%
130Bob Venner Farms1100%0%
130High Ridge Farms1100%0%
130Brian Hunter1100%0%
130Cinnamon Ridge, Inc.1100%0%
130Hoefer Precision Pumping, Inc.1100%0%
130Dornbier, Inc.1100%0%

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

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