By Jamison Cruce
USA Rice
The U.S. Department of State granted a national interest exemption for H-2A and some H-2B workers from South Africa. Earlier this week President Biden signed a proclamation that limits and prohibits travel to the U.S. from certain countries, including South Africa, due to the COVID pandemic. The travel restrictions would have impacted a significant number of H-2A workers who normally travel to rice-producing states in the Mid-South.