Managed Payroll · Agriculture

Farm and agricultural payroll is the most complex in America. We handle it.

H-2A visa workers, seasonal mass hire and termination events, piece-rate pay calculations, multi-state harvest crews, housing deductions, and MSPA compliance make agricultural payroll a category most payroll vendors cannot serve correctly. BEG manages all of it at $25-$45 per employee per month - fully managed, no migration required.

See your exact monthly & annual price - no call required

H-2A compliantHousing deductions, transport reimbursements, DOL filings

Seasonal spikesMass hire and termination events handled

All 50 statesMulti-state harvest crew compliance covered

The Cost of Running It Yourself

What does agricultural payroll actually cost when it goes wrong?

H-2A risk

H-2A program violations can result in debarment from the program for up to three years

H-2A payroll requires housing deductions calculated within DOL limits, transportation reimbursements, and adverse effect wage rates that change annually. One miscalculation puts your program eligibility at risk.

Piece-rate errors

Piece-rate calculations that fall below minimum wage trigger immediate DOL exposure

Under FLSA, piece-rate workers must earn at least the applicable minimum wage for all hours worked. When harvest slows and piece rates produce below-minimum earnings, the employer must make up the difference. Many operations miscalculate this.

Seasonal spikes

Mass onboarding and termination events break payroll systems that are not built for agriculture

Agricultural operations can go from 20 to 200 workers in two weeks during harvest and back to a skeleton crew in days. Generic payroll software is not built for this volume fluctuation. BEG is.

How It Works

Three steps to fully managed agricultural payroll

Scope review

We map your workforce structure: H-2A workers, domestic seasonal staff, year-round employees, pay method (hourly vs. piece-rate), housing and transport arrangements, and state footprint. You get a fixed monthly cost.

Setup and first cycle

We configure H-2A housing deduction limits, adverse effect wage rates, piece-rate minimum wage true-up calculations, and multi-state registrations. Your first payroll cycle runs alongside ours for verification.

Ongoing managed service

Every pay cycle, every DOL filing, every seasonal mass hire or termination event - fully managed by BEG. When adverse effect wage rates change annually, we update automatically.

What BEG Handles

Agricultural payroll complexity - fully covered

✓H-2A worker payroll including housing deductions within DOL limits

✓Transportation reimbursement calculations for inbound and outbound H-2A travel

✓Adverse effect wage rate (AEWR) tracking and annual updates by state

✓Piece-rate pay calculations with FLSA minimum wage true-up when piece earnings fall short

✓Seasonal mass hire payroll setup: rapid onboarding of large crews mid-season

✓Multi-state harvest crew compliance: tax registration and withholding across state lines

✓MSPA (Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act) record-keeping support

✓Year-end W-2 preparation for large seasonal worker populations

✓Housing deduction documentation to support DOL and IRS compliance

✓Overtime calculations for domestic agricultural workers not exempt under FLSA

Side by Side

BEG Managed Payroll vs. In-House vs. Generic Software

Factor	BEG Managed	In-House Hire	Generic Software
H-2A compliance	Fully managed	Varies by hire	Not supported
Piece-rate minimum wage true-up	Automatic	Manual calculation	Not built in
Seasonal mass hire handling	Included	Stressful for one person	You configure it
AEWR annual updates	Automatic	Must track manually	You update it
Multi-state harvest crew filing	Included	May need CPA	You manage it
Year-end W-2 for seasonal workers	Included	Included	Extra fee
Monthly cost (50 workers)	$1,250-$2,250	$5,800-$8,300	$400-$900 + risk

The Cost of H-2A Errors

One H-2A violation can cost you the program. Managed payroll eliminates that risk.

H-2A debarment means losing access to the visa program for up to three years. For operations that depend on guest workers during harvest, that is not a recoverable event. BEG manages H-2A payroll compliance - housing deductions, AEWR rates, transportation reimbursements - so your program stays clean.

Seasonal Timing Matters

The time to set up managed payroll is before your next harvest ramp - not during it.

Payroll transitions take 30-60 days. Agricultural operations that try to change payroll providers mid-season cause payment delays for workers and compliance gaps. Start the process in the off-season and arrive at harvest with a fully managed system in place.

15 minutes. We scope your operation, give you a fixed monthly cost, and show you what transition looks like. Pricing starts at $25 PEPM.

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FAQ

Common questions from agricultural operations

Can BEG handle H-2A worker payroll?

Yes. BEG manages H-2A worker payroll including housing deductions within DOL limits, transportation reimbursements, adverse effect wage rate (AEWR) application, and year-end W-2 preparation for visa workers. We track AEWR updates annually by state so your rates stay current automatically.

How does piece-rate payroll work under FLSA?

Under FLSA, piece-rate workers must earn at least the applicable minimum wage for all hours worked in a workweek. When a worker's total piece-rate earnings divided by total hours worked falls below minimum wage, the employer must make up the difference. BEG calculates this true-up automatically every pay period so you never have a minimum wage shortfall.

Can you handle seasonal mass hire events?

Yes. BEG is built for agricultural operations that add large crews rapidly at harvest and reduce headcount just as quickly. We handle mass onboarding, multi-state registrations for harvest crew members, and mass termination processing without disrupting the operation.

What does $25-$45 PEPM include for an agricultural operation?

Everything: payroll processing, H-2A compliance, piece-rate calculations, multi-state tax filing, year-end W-2 preparation for all workers, and dedicated BEG support.

What is the MSPA and does BEG handle it?

MSPA is the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act. It establishes disclosure, record-keeping, and wage payment requirements for agricultural employers. BEG manages payroll records and documentation consistent with MSPA obligations for covered agricultural operations.