Biden Placing Travel Bans to Mitigate Transmission of New Covid Strains

President Biden announced Sunday, January 24th, that he was reinstating and expanding travel bans from certain countries, including South Africa, in an effort to slow the spread of new variants of COVID-19. Several agriculture groups from across the country, including the Agricultural Council of Arkansas, have weighed in on the issue in pursuit of an exemption for H-2A workers who are considered to be persons of "national interest" as they provide essential labor for an essential industry.

More below:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-usa-travel-exclusi-idUSKBN29T0P6

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/biden-to-reinstate-covid-travel-rules-add-south-africa/ar-BB1d3qCe

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/24/world/covid-19-coronavirus/travel-from-south-africa-to-the-us-will-be-banned-to-curb-spread-of-variant

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/25/proclamation-on-the-suspension-of-entry-as-immigrants-and-non-immigrants-of-certain-additional-persons-who-pose-a-risk-of-transmitting-coronavirus-disease/

Ag Council Letter to Arkansas Congressional Delegation

https://www.agri-pulse.com/articles/15231-travel-ban-threatens-to-cut-off-farms-from-h-2a-workers

https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/crop-production/farmer-alarm-high-coronavirus-ban-halts-h-2a-guest-workers

https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/news/business-inputs/article/2021/01/25/custom-harvesters-among-see-guest