The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ruled on June 17 that dairy farms can now hire temporary foreign workers through the H-2A visa program, which previously excluded year-round industries. Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioner Brad Smith noted that employers seeking to use the visas must fulfill requirements including housing and **very specific job descriptions** for full-time roles. Dairy industry groups praised the policy shift as long-sought reform, while worker advocates warned it could lower wages and reduce opportunities for local laborers. The change comes after years of lobbying amid a shrinking undocumented workforce, and California is among the top states requesting H-2A workers.