EB-2 NIW for Agricultural Engineers, Agronomists, and Food Scientists: Why Your Field Is Now a National Priority 

On June 25, 2026, the Trump Administration formally identified regenerative agriculture, farm resilience, and food security as priorities for federal policy and action. Executive Order 14414, “Advancing Regenerative Agriculture and Strengthening American Farm Resilience,” ties the country’s food security and long-term farm productivity to regenerative practices, precision farming, agricultural research, and modernized farm systems, and directs agencies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to act on those priorities. In plain terms, the government has said the United States needs more investment, innovation, research, and technological advancement in these areas.

For scientists, engineers, and researchers advancing this work, the Executive Order provides significant new federal policy support for the importance of their work. This includes agricultural engineers, agronomists, soil scientists, food-safety and toxicology researchers, environmental scientists, and agricultural technologists working in areas such as precision agriculture, soil health, farm modernization, chemical-exposure research, and new agricultural technologies. For professionals pursuing the EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW), these federal priorities may provide particularly strong evidence that a proposed endeavor addresses issues of national importance to the United States.

What Executive Order 14414 Does

Executive Order 14414 sets three main goals: expanding the use of precision agriculture practices and technologies, increasing federal investment in regenerative agriculture research and education, and spurring private-sector innovation in farm modernization. The stated policy objective is a healthy, abundant, and affordable food supply, along with stronger rural economies.

The order directs several agencies to act in several areas:

• Crop protection review. It directs the EPA to prioritize the review and registration of innovative crop-protection products, including products that may reduce reliance on conventional chemical tools, and evaluate certain existing pesticide uses under applicable law.
• Chemical exposure tracking. It directs the USDA, HHS, and EPA to develop methods for measuring and evaluating cumulative chemical exposure and associated human-health and environmental risks.
• Research into chemical alternatives. Through HHS, it directs the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to support research into new technologies and methodologies for evaluating chemical exposure and reducing reliance on conventional agricultural chemicals.
• Expanded pilot programs. It also tells the USDA to expand its existing Regenerative Pilot Program, which is run through current conservation programs.

What the Executive Order Means for Your EB-2 NIW Case

If you work in agricultural engineering, agronomy, food safety, or related research, this order gives you a significant federal policy source that may support the national importance of your proposed endeavor.

EB-2 NIW petitions involving agricultural work are evaluated the same way as any other EB-2 NIW petition: first you must meet the EB-2 classification requirements, then explain how your proposed endeavor satisfies the National Interest Waiver standard under the three-prong test from Matter of Dhanasar. The executive order can provide valuable support for the first prong, which requires showing that the proposed endeavor has substantial merit and national importance. If your proposed endeavor connects to regenerative agriculture, precision farming, food security, agricultural research, farm modernization, or farmer prosperity, you can cite the order as federal policy evidence supporting the broader importance of the work you propose to undertake.

The strongest petitions pair that policy backing with specific, individual evidence: your research, your results, your track record. Our in-depth look at the first prong of Dhanasar breaks down how that analysis works.

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Connecting Agricultural Work to Federal Priorities

The order’s priorities touch a wide range of professionals: agricultural engineers and agronomists working on regenerative practices and precision farming; soil scientists and environmental scientists studying soil health, farm resilience, and sustainable production; food-safety and toxicology researchers examining chemical exposure and human-health risks associated with the food supply; and agricultural technologists and entrepreneurs developing technologies, tools, and systems that advance farm modernization and agricultural productivity.

Recent EB-2 NIW Approvals in Agriculture

Colombo & Hurd has secured EB-2 NIW approvals for professionals across fields involving agriculture. A few recent examples show the range of work involved. Each case is decided on its own facts and evidence.

Agricultural Engineer, Controlled-Environment Farming

With more than 17 years in sustainable agriculture, our client, an agricultural engineer, specializes in hydroponic and controlled-environment growing, where he has improved water efficiency and crop disease and postharvest losses. His work closely relates to the order’s push to reduce reliance on conventional chemical crop protection, as controlled-environment growing can reduce pest pressure and the need for chemical inputs from the outset. His proposed U.S. work applies those methods to conserve water, improve nutrient efficiency, and strengthen food safety, with the potential for broader application across other crops, producers, and regions. USCIS approved his EB-2 NIW petition, demonstrating how work in sustainable agriculture can successfully form the basis of a National Interest Waiver petition.

Food Safety Scientist

A food safety scientist with a Ph.D. in food and animal science and has more than eight years in USDA and FDA compliance. He supports food safety at small and mid-sized processors, which handle much of the U.S. food supply but often lack dedicated safety staff. His research includes using industrial microwave technology to remove pathogens from food. That work speaks directly to one of the order’s central directives: a research framework for measuring cumulative chemical exposure in the food supply and reducing contaminant risks to human health. USCIS approved the petition, finding the work met the national-interest standard.

Agricultural Insurance and Agritech

An attorney with a 24-year career in insurance and agriculture designs agricultural insurance solutions and helped adopt satellite-based crop monitoring that gives producers real-time field data. That’s the kind of precision-agriculture technology the order names as a priority. His proposed U.S. work pairs precision-agriculture tools with tailored insurance products, so farmers can anticipate risk and reduce losses from weather, disease, and market swings. USCIS approved the EB-2 NIW petition.

Agricultural Engineer, Sustainable Farming and Food Security

With 18 years in sustainable farming, our client, an agricultural engineer, has introduced practices that raise yields while reducing agrochemical use. His proposed U.S. work is an integrated model, combining sustainable cultivation, hands-on farmer training, and experimental fields, aimed at reducing reliance on imported vegetables and legumes. USCIS granted the EB-2 NIW and cited the national importance of the work.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Does the 2026 regenerative agriculture Executive Order help an EB-2 NIW petition?

It can, if your proposed endeavor connects to a priority the order names, like food security, regenerative agriculture, farm modernization, or precision agriculture. It puts the federal government on record that these areas are national priorities. On its own, though, it does not establish NIW eligibility or decide a case.

Can agricultural engineers and agronomists qualify for an EB-2 NIW?

They may. The job title is not what determines eligibility for an EB-2 NIW. The petitioner must first qualify for the EB-2 classification and then show that the proposed endeavor has substantial merit and national importance, that they are well positioned to advance it, and that, on balance, it would benefit the United States to waive the job offer and labor certification requirements. Each case is decided on its own facts.

How does the Dhanasar test apply to agriculture professionals?

The same three prongs apply as in any EB-2 NIW case. A petition can connect a specific endeavor to federal priorities and evidence of broader national significance, show that the person is well positioned to advance it, and explain why, on balance, waiving the job offer and labor certification requirements would benefit the United States. The order may provide particularly useful evidence for the first prong.

What evidence supports an agriculture-related EB-2 NIW petition?

Evidence should show the importance and potential impact of the proposed endeavor, the petitioner’s ability to advance it, and why the United States would benefit from waiving the job offer and labor certification requirements. That can include research, patents, field trials, producer adoption, measurable results, grants, recommendation letters, and letters of interest from U.S. organizations. Federal policies and government reports related to the proposed work can also help establish its broader significance. What matters is that the evidence connects specifically to the proposed endeavor and the petitioner’s ability to advance it.

Conclusion

Executive Order 14414 is a current, citable federal policy signal for professionals advancing regenerative agriculture, precision farming, food security, environmental health, farm modernization, or agricultural productivity and rural economies.

For agriculture professionals considering an EB-2 NIW, the order can provide meaningful policy support when their proposed endeavor connects to the priorities it identifies. The approved cases described above show how agriculture-related endeavors supported by documented outcomes, specialized expertise, and a clearly defined problem of national significance can form the basis of a successful NIW petition. If you are considering an EB-2 NIW and want to understand how your own work may fit within these requirements, fill out our questionnaire to see where you stand.

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