(Winemag) - A near-perfect growing season in Sonoma, marked by record rainfall and a mild frost-free spring, gave way this month to record heat and thunderstorms. This forced some teams of pickers to work around the clock.

The weather has exacerbated continuing concerns about finding enough labor to work the harvest. In addition to immigration pressures, finding labor is an increasing issue for the wine industry as workers flee to construction, hospitality and cannabis-related jobs.

Vineyards Competing for Available Workers

Farm labor will be on the agenda in the House of Representatives next week. Representative Bob Goodlatte, Republican of Virginia, will introduce the Agricultural Guestworker Act. It aims to replace and improve the H-2A program with a more efficient and flexible guest-worker program for farms.