Major fruit grower lays off nearly 1,000 workers

A major Washington fruit grower, Borton & Sons, announced plans to lay off 928 farmworkers in November as the 2025 harvest concludes. These general farm laborers, hired under the H-2A program to pick, pack, and transport crops, are released during the off-season. The WARN notice reveals that the layoffs will occur between Nov. 8 and Nov.

15 at facilities located in Yakima, Zillah, Pasco, Burbank, Prescott, Soap Lake, Othello, and Mesa. What sets this announcement apart is Borton's claim that all 928 departures are permanent, as they have not determined recall dates or 2027 staffing needs. The company also hesitates to speculate on potential future layoffs of domestic workers, citing uncertainties such as weather, crop conditions, and employee attrition.

While Borton's layoffs are substantial, they are not unique in Washington. From November 2024 to November 2025, the state saw 20 agriculture-related layoffs impacting 14,831 seasonal workers, with some filings involving thousands of employees. However, Borton's notice is notable for its transparency, as agriculture businesses typically avoid filing WARN notices for seasonal workforce reductions due to federal reporting requirements.

The financial implications of such seasonal workforce fluctuations are significant, with recent research indicating that agricultural workers face high levels of economic hardship. In 2025, the CDC found that 18.5% of farming, fishing, and forestry workers reported experiencing at least four measures of economic hardship, compared to 6.9% of all workers.

The USDA's new minimum pay rates for H-2A jobs, implemented in 2025, further reduce cash wages for these seasonal workers, while still requiring housing.