Detasseling measure approved

Lawmakers passed a bill March 15 clarifying how seed corn companies solicit bids for contract labor for roguing — eliminating undesired corn plants — and detasseling in Nebraska.

The federal H-2A temporary agricultural program allows employers who anticipate a lack of available domestic workers to bring foreign workers to the U.S. to perform temporary or seasonal agricultural work including detasseling and roguing.

LB844, sponsored by Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman, amends the state Farm Labor Contractors Act to require seed corn producers who contract for detasseling and roguing services to solicit bids from local contractors before employing H-2A workers.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, producers who intend to contract for detasseling and roguing labor must file a notarized report with the state Department of Agriculture listing the number of acres of hybrid seed corn produced, in addition to other information. Under the bill, the department is required to publish a report of that aggregated data annually.

LB844 passed on a 45-0 vote.