The language barrier is often a challenge for dairies, as the owner and employees don’t always speak the same language. Now that barrier is extended as K’iche’ is becoming more well-known on U.S. dairy farms.
U.S. employers report challenges in finding suitable job candidates with work-ready skills to fill open roles in ag. The AgCareers.com U.S. Skills Survey offers insights, data and trends to address skill development.
The key to maximizing the return on investment of a dairy's workforce lies in the management's ability to humanize operations, understand employee needs, and deploy individual skills appropriately.
What does an incredible leader, filled with so much knowledge and wisdom, who has had his hand in the tremendous growth and advancement of an organization like Milk Source, teach employees?
It’s important the friends, family, and business professionals close to farmers are prepared and able to effectively communicate in a mental health crisis.
Are you pulling your hair out because your milking parlor is constantly running behind schedule? This is one of the biggest frustrations and time and money drains for a lot of dairies.
Laurenio Vitorino came to America at only 15-years-old. After facing years of hardships and bullying, he found his calling working at a nearby dairy. 34 years later, he continues to bring excellence to the table.
To create a safe and comfortable work environment for your farm employees, it’s important to address the specific challenges posed by cold weather on the farm.
From improved telehealth services to reimagined small-town hospitals, the National Rural Health Association is working to help folks in farm country tap into more and better medical care options.
Farmers routinely handle high-dollar transactions — and the nature of the payments, often through unsecure methods, leaves them susceptible to foul play.
The availability of livestock workers was ranked as more limited than crop workers and finding long-term help seen as more difficult than temporary help due to the seasonal nature of the ag industry.
When the opportunity came up for Schilling Farms to purchase a second dairy nearly 40 miles away, this meant also taking on a dozen more employees. This one tactic helped give their employees an engagement boost.
Labor contributes up to 10-15% of the cost to produce milk. The magnitude of the expense drives dairies to increase labor efficiency. However, labor efficiency does not equate to labor productivity.
“There are some things that we've adopted over the years that really aren't particularly useful and I think in some cases even detrimental to our performance,” says Dave Mitchell.
“Most farms don’t have the time, capabilities, perspectives, resources or desire to do all the tasks it takes to run an operation," says Steve Kluemper, AgriStrategies LLC founder. "A lot of growers hire to fill gaps."
Regardless of a dairy’s size, a balanced suite of leadership skills is necessary to manage and motivate team members for the sustainability of a dairy’s workforce.
The Committee on Ag is looking to solve workforce issues with the formation of the Ag Labor Working Group. "Reforms are desperately needed to address this pressing issue," said Co-Chair Rick Crawford (R-Ar.).
The Committee on Ag is looking to solve workforce issues with the formation of the Ag Labor Working Group. "Reforms are desperately needed to address this pressing issue," said Co-Chair Rick Crawford (R-Ar.).
To boost employee retention, farms need leaders who can effectively inspire and guide others. The job often requires its leaders to possess a handful of characteristics not necessarily used on other areas of the farm.
An ongoing march to pay farm workers more continues to unfold in the state of New York as agriculture labor regulations have drastically changed. From farm owners to farm workers, this has all led to confusion.
Half of success is showing up certainly holds true for labor-dependent farms. Although Brett Barlass, dairy manager of Yosemite Jerseys in Calif., shares he went nine years without a no-call or a no-show employee.
As more dairies face labor challenges, the need for extra help on a farm is evident and Miguel Rangel, DVM, a past visa recipient, says that government-issued visas can help fulfill that labor need.
The challenge to attract and retain employees on U.S. dairy farms has been a constant struggle for the past few years. Farmers need to take a fresh look at how they put together a workforce to better attract employees.
When turnover on a dairy is low, employees are motivated and teams work together to reach goals, one has to wonder, what are these managers doing differently?
We all need to find and keep great people for our farms. This is truer than ever before. Maybe you have heard the phrases, "we need the right people on the bus" and "they need to be in the right seats."
When it comes to hiring potential candidates from Mexico to come work on your farm, there are many things to consider before you make the move. Victor Ochoa of Swineworks answers big questions on producers’ minds.
On Valentine’s Day, Red Top Jerseys in El Nido, Calif., dairy team suffered an enormous loss, as the dairy lost three of its long-term employees in a tragic car accident.
In Wisconsin, Vir-Clar Farm has worked hard at building a positive, family-like culture on their Fond du Lac dairy, which includes implementing a ride-share program that is a win-win for their employees and the dairy.
Having employees take ownership and complete tasks is ultimately what managers seek in employees. Consider these tips to help boost your team's leadership.
Often the first focus of a dairy isn’t on human resources, but more importantly on the day-to-day tasks. However, leading dairy experts strongly encourage producers to start dedicating time to HR.
President Biden traveled on Sunday to the U.S./Mexico border amid a surge in illegal border crossings. The administration announced a new program for up to 30,000 migrants a month to enter the U.S. legally.
A recent USDA Ag Prices Report outlined that labor expenses were up 7.3% compared to 2020. Ben Laine with Terrain says that it’s not about the cost of labor, it’s about the availability of reliable labor.