Statewide Agricultural Employee Minimum Wage
Published Friday, February 27, 2026
Assemblymember Maggy Krell, D-Sacramento, has introduced Assembly Bill 2646, legislation that would establish a statewide agricultural minimum wage of $19.75 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2027, with annual adjustments tied to the consumer price index.
The proposal appears intended to reinstate a higher wage floor for workers participating in the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program. In November 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor revised the federal H-2A wage standard, resulting in California’s 2026 H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rate defaulting to the state’s statutory minimum wage of $16.90 per hour. AB 2646 would effectively set a new, higher state-level wage requirement for agricultural workers.
The bill applies the $19.75 minimum wage to “approved agricultural employees” and “corresponding employees.” Approved agricultural employees are defined as nonresident workers engaged in agriculture—broadly defined under the Agricultural Labor Relations Act—whose employment in California has been approved by the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency or the Employment Development Department. These agencies are responsible for overseeing and approving H-2A employment in the state.
The bill also extends the $19.75 minimum wage to corresponding employees. Under AB 2646, a corresponding employee is any California resident engaged in agricultural work who is not an approved agricultural employee but performs the same or substantially similar work. The measure does not require that a corresponding employee work for an employer who uses H-2A workers, meaning the higher wage could apply broadly across agricultural operations.
Staff contact: Bryan Little, blittle@cfbf.com.
.svg.png?cacheid=0.9616018850896426)
