NORFOLK, Neb. -- As the U.S. continues to fight through worker shortages, the agricultural industry still finds itself struggling to stay fully staffed.

The H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers Program provides opportunities to international workers, and its service is now connecting Ukraine with a northeast Nebraska farm.

Wolff Farms in Madison County has used the H-2A program since its origin by congress in the late 1980s.

Part owner of Wolff Farms, Jay Wolff, says they suffered a drastic cut to their staff, and luckily H-2A was able to supply two workers from the Ukraine to help them manage.

"They started back in June and will stay into October to help with our labor shortage during our busiest season on the produce farm," said Jay Wolff.

The H-2A program allows for immigrant workers from approved U.S. countries to apply for temporary work visas in order to work on different farms in the states.

While the extra help on the farm is welcomes, Jay Wolff needed the extra assistance of Farm Hands LLC President Walter Conlon to help navigate the rigorous transfer H-2A application process.

"When Jay started we prepared a job order describing the job, the state people look it over and make sure it's ok, and they also order a housing inspection, file an application for labor certification and application for a foreign worker," said Conlon.

Like other workers, the H-2A program has allowed the Wolff Farm Ukrainian worker to find needed solace here as their home country is still under Russian attack.

H-2A's immigrant workers also benefit from the program as their expenses are fully paid along with satisfactory compensation.

"The state sets like the minimum wage for them, and then we have to provide transportation from Ukraine and back to Ukraine. So the plane ticket is one expense and then housing as well," said Wolff.

More farms in the state are using the H-2A program as there are fewer farmers coming into the workforce and the ones they already have are getting older.

Advocates say programs like H-2A are only open to farms if there are no American workers to fill their open positions. 

"The Americans get absolute priority as long as they meet the qualifications on the job description and are available for the entire season," said Conlon.

Along with H-2A, Ukrainian immigrants in the northeast Nebraska area are utilizing other organizations like The Orphan Grain Train to help reunite their families.