AEWR 2026 Farm Wages by State
Current-year AEWR by state for the Southeast, plus how DOL calculates it and how to plan for the mid-year adjustment.
The Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) is the minimum hourly wage an H-2A employer must pay. DOL sets it by state each year based on USDA's Farm Labor Survey. The number matters — a $0.50/hr change on a 20-worker crew is roughly $16,000 over a 6-month contract.
2026 AEWR — Southeast focus
- North Carolina: $15.81/hr.
- South Carolina: $14.68/hr.
- Georgia: $14.68/hr.
- Alabama: $14.68/hr.
- Tennessee: $15.02/hr.
- Virginia: $15.81/hr.
- Florida: $14.77/hr.
- Kentucky: $15.02/hr.
Values reflect the current DOL determination; verify against the DOL AEWR notice for your contract start date.
How DOL sets it
The AEWR equals the annual average hourly wage for field and livestock workers combined (Farm Labor Survey), by state region. Because it's a prior-year lookback, current-year inflation shows up in the following year's AEWR.
The mid-year adjustment
DOL publishes each year's AEWR in mid-Feb, effective ~30 days later. Any contract active on that date locks the higher rate for the rest of the contract term — plan your cash flow for it, don't be surprised.
Domestic comparison
The AEWR is the H-2A floor. If you pay domestic pickers a piece rate that averages below AEWR, you owe them the difference. See H-2A vs domestic.
Run this in BAU, not a spreadsheet
The planner, calculator, and buyer marketplace are included on every plan.