>> Cathy: WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

>> Eric: WHAT A REMARKABLE CAREER.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Cathy: WE LOVE HAVING YOU HERE.

>> CATHY: WITH LOW UNEMPLOYMENT, HUNDREDS OF FARMS IN MINNESOTA ARE HIRING FOREIGN WORKERS.

THE GUEST WORKERS COME ON A FEDERAL PROGRAM.

IT'S CALLED THE H2-A TEMPORARY AGRICULTURAL WORKERS VISA.

BUT THE DEMAND HAS CREATED DELAYS.

REPORTER KAOMI LEE WENT TO WRIGHT COUNTY TO FIND OUT WHY SOME FARMERS ARE AT A BREAKING POINT.

>> SO WE HAVE THE LARGE LIVING ROOM.

THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS WHEN WE HAVE A CHANCE.

>> Reporter: WOW, THIS IS SO NICE.

>> UKRAINIAN MARIANNE SHOWS ME ARRANGED THE HOUSE SHE SHARES WITH OTHER FARM WORKERS.

SHE AYS ZERO RENT.

THE HOUSE, FURNISHINGS AND ALL UTILITIES ARE PAID FOR BY HER EMPLOYER.

IT'S THROUGH A FEDERAL H2A AGRICULTURAL TEMPORARY WORKERS PROGRAM, FOREIGN NATIONALS RECEIVE A TEMPORARY NONIMMIGRANTS STATUS VISA TO WORK IN SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL JOBS.

BESIDES FREE HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION, THE GOVERNMENT SETS A STARTING WAGE.

IN MINNESOTA, IT'S $18.50 AN HOUR.

>> WE CAN MAKE SIX-MONTHS WORKING HERE, ENOUGH FOR LIVING A YEAR THERE.

>> HERE WE'RE IN RURAL WRIGHT COUNTY, THIS IS RIGHT SOUTH OF BUFFALO, MINNESOTA, RIGHTS OFF 25.

>> FORMER JERRY UNTIED OF WAVERLY SHOWS US ANOTHER OF HIS HOMES.

HE HAS ABOUT EIGHT OR INE OF THESE.

>> THIS UNIT HERE E USUALLY PUT OUR MARRIED COUPLES IN SO THAT THEY CAN STAY TOGETHER AND HAVE THEIR OWN BEDROOM AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> >> Reporter: THIS IS A REALLY NICE HOUSE, NOT LIKE A BARRACKS STYLE HOUSE.

>> WE TRY TO TELL PEOPLE, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THESE WORKERS AND WE WANT A STABLE WORKFORCE.

AND THE WAY YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING BACK EACH YEAR, A STABLE WORK FORCE.

>> Reporter: IT'S A BENEFITS HE MUST PROVIDE TO AMERICAN WORKERS, TOO, IF HE COULD FIND THEM.

THESE DAYS, LABOR SHORTAGES ARE EVERYWHERE, ELIMINATING TURNOVER IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR UNTIED.

HE RELIES ON FOREIGN HT-A WORKERS TO KEEP HIS FLOWER AND VEGETABLE BUSINESS GOING.

>> THIS ISN'T JUST IT IS UNTIED THING, THIS IS MOST PEOPLE THAT USE THIS PROGRAM.

THEY REALIZE THAT THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND MAYBE IN THE UNITED STATES FOR FINDING WORKERS TO DO THE TYPE OF WORK THAT WE DO.

IT'S ALL HAND LABOR, AND THESE PEOPLE COME FROM CULTURES THAT STILL HAVE HAND LABOR.

>> Reporter: UNTIED TOOK US TO ONE OF HIS FARMS, A CREW OF WORKERS FROM MEXICO HAD JUST ARRIVED BUT A BACKLOG IN STATE INSPECTIONS HAS PREVENTED DOZENS MORE FROM ARRIVING ON TIME.

>> ALL OF THESE SHOULD BE PLANTED AND -- >> Reporter: HAS BEEN PLANTED HERE, FLOWERS?

>> LIKE PEPPERS OR TOMATOES.

>> Reporter: BUT WITHOUT HIS WORKERS, UNTIED SAID HE'S ALREADY LOST SIX FIGURES.

>> YOU KNOW, THIS IS A SEASONAL BUSINESS IN MINNESOTA.

ONCE TIME IS GONE, TIME IS GONE FOREVER.

>> Reporter: THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE THE FARMS TO GET THEM CERTIFIED.

MARY GARCIA IS THE FOREIGN LABOR CERTIFICATION COORDINATOR.

SHE AND ONLY ONE OTHER PERSON IN THE ALL THE HOUSING FOR THE H2A WORKERS, EVERY YEAR.

>> DO WE HAVE A ROUGH ESTIMATE ABOUT HOW MANY FARMS RIGHT NOW USE H2A WORKERS IN THE STATE?

>> IT'S CLOSE TO 300.

>> Reporter: HOW NECESSARY ARE THESE WORKERS?

>> ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

>> Reporter: THE H23 ABOUT A PROGRAM IS EXPENSIVE.

SHE SAYS FARMERS THAT TURN TO IT USUALLY HAVE LITTLE OTHER CHOICE.

>> WOULD YOU TELL US THE H2A PROGRAM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO CLOSE THEIR OPERATION OR SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE TS IN SIZE.

>> Reporter: SO THIS PROGRAM IS REALLY KEEPING A LOT OF THESE BUSINESSES AFLOAT.

>> YES.

>> Reporter: AND IT'S EXPANDING.

GARCIA SAYS THE NUMBER OF FARMS APPLYING FOR H2A WORKERS HAS DOUBLED YEAR OVER YEAR.

BUT THE NUMBER OF HOUSING INSPECTORS HAS REMAINED AT 2, WITH THE DEMAND GOING UP FOR CERTIFICATION, I ASKED GARCIA, HOW DO WE GET MORE WORKERS HERE FASTER?

>> THAT'S THE $04,000 QUESTION, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION.

HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE, WHO ARE QUALIFIED, ARE AVAILABLE AND BLE TO WORK, HOW DO WE GET THEM INTERESTED IN AG?

>> Reporter: AS TO HIRING MORE INSPECTORS, DEEDS STATES WE RECEIVE AN ANNUAL FEDERAL ALLOCATION TO STAFF THE PROGRAM AND WE CANNOT USE OTHER FUNDING SOURCES FOR IT.

WE HAVE AS MANY STAFF AS OUR FEDERAL ALLOCATION ENABLES TO SUPPORT.

BUT WITHOUT SOME RELIEF, FARMERS LIKE UNTIED SAY THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE.

THIS YEAR THEY HAD TO LET GO OF THEIR POPULAR CSA ROGRAM.

>> WE'VE HAD TO ELIMINATE ABOUT 30 WORKERS OUT OF 120 OR 130 VISAS THAT WE HAVE.

THE STATE OF MINNESOTA IS FORCING US PROBABLY OUT F BUSINESS.

THEY'VE PUT US IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE NO LONGER COMPETITIVE WITH THE SURROUNDING STATES.

>> Reporter: TWO BILLS IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE SEEK TO ADD NEW PROVISIONS ON OVERTIME PAY.

MINNESOTA EMPLOYERS CURRENTLY PAY TIME AND A HALF AFTER 48 HOURS.

INCLUDING FARMERS.

ONE OF THE BILLS WOULD KICK IN OVERTIME AFTER 40 HOURS.

BUT FARMS IN SURROUNDING STATES DO NOT HAVE TO PAY OVERTIME AT ALL.

SENATE LABOR COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN JENNIFER cHE BEEN SAYS IT'S ABOUT RESPECTING WORKERS.

SHE'S THE SENATE AUTHOR OF THE BILLS.

>> I WANT TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH FARMERS, WITH THE WORKERS WHO ARE WORKING THESE FARMS AND WE'LL SEE ESPECIALLY WHAT THE WORKERS ARE ASKING FOR.

AGAIN, THIS LEGISLATION REALLY IS INTENDED TO START THAT DISCUSSION.

ON PRINCIPLE, OF COURSE I WOULD SAY, NO, THERE SHOULD BE NO EXCLUSION.

>> Reporter: SHE SAYS IT'S UNLIKELY THE BILLS WILL GET A HEARING THIS SESSION.

MEANWHILE, H2A WORKERS AT UNTIED'S FARM SAY THEY'RE HAPPY TO BE THERE.

ROBERTO GARCIA HAS BEEN COMING FROM MEXICO FOR FOUR YEARS.

[SPEAKING SPANISH] >> Reporter: AND HE CAN MAKE A LOT MORE MONEY HERE.