Finding qualified employees remains one of the biggest challenges on dairy farms today. While most labor discussions focus on filling entry-level positions, some producers are searching for something different: experienced employees who can lead teams, manage specialized programs and help develop the next generation of workers.
For those roles, a growing number of dairies are exploring the TN visa program.
During a recent Cornell University Ag Workforce Central Office Hour, dairy producer Shane St. Cyr, TN visa specialist Jenny Everson and workforce expert Richard Stup discussed how farms are using the program to recruit herd managers, reproductive specialists, calf managers and other skilled professionals.
While TN visas are not a fit for every labor need, they can help dairies add technical expertise and leadership in hard-to-fill positions.
What is a TN Visa?
The TN visa was established through the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), now known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). It allows qualified citizens of Mexico and Canada to work in the U.S. in approved professional occupations.
“It allows temporary entry into the U.S. to engage in business activities at a professional level,” says Richard Stup, director of Cornell University’s Agricultural Workforce Development Program. “To qualify, the position must be a professional role, and the applicant must have the education and training needed to perform the job.”
On dairy farms, qualifying positions often include herd managers, assistant herd managers, reproductive managers, maternity managers, calf care specialists, feeding technicians, agronomy specialists and other supervisory roles.
“The basic overview of the TN visa is that it allows U.S. employers to employ educated professionals, typically from Mexico,” says Jenny Everson of Agri Placement Services. “Anything above the entry level, more of a management-type position, can potentially fit within the program.”
Why Some Dairies are Turning to TN Visas for Skilled Hires
Labor shortages continue to affect dairy farms of all sizes. For management and technical positions, the pool of qualified candidates can be especially limited.
At Adirondack Farms in northern New York, TN employees have filled several management positions.
“We’ve utilized them in managerial roles, from herd management and repro positions to calf and heifer managers,” St. Cyr says.
St. Cyr views TN hiring as one part of a larger recruitment strategy.
“We’re always looking for good ways to source top-quality talent,” he says. “We run an internship program, we post jobs on our website and Facebook, and we use TN visas. It’s an all-in approach to finding good employees.”
The benefits have extended beyond filling open positions.
“One of the benefits is not all of our employees have that higher education level that a TN visa does, and it allows our other employees to see what’s possible and gives them something to strive for,” St. Cyr says.
What the Hiring Process Looks Like
While some producers assume visa programs involve overwhelming paperwork, Everson says experienced partners can guide farms through much of the process.
The process begins with defining the position, including responsibilities, compensation, schedule and level of authority. From there, candidates are recruited, screened and interviewed.
“I recruit for a specific position,” Everson says. “I select the top candidates, then present them to the farmer. They can interview all of them or choose which candidates they’re interested in.”
Once a candidate is selected, immigration attorneys prepare the required paperwork and petitions.
If the candidate is already in the U.S., the process involves a change-of-employer filing. If the candidate is in Mexico, they complete a consular interview as part of the application process.
Timing Plays a Role in Planning Hires
Unlike filling an open position through traditional hiring channels, bringing in a TN employee can take several months from start to finish.
Everson estimates the interview and selection process often takes about one month, followed by another one to two months for preparing the case and supporting documentation. Government processing can take three to four additional months, although premium processing can significantly shorten the timeline.
Because of those timelines, TN hiring works best when farms are thinking ahead about future staffing needs rather than reacting to an unexpected vacancy. Producers who know a key employee is nearing retirement, moving into a new role or leaving the operation may benefit from starting the process well before the position opens.
For producers hoping to fill a position quickly, waiting until the job is vacant may be too late. Instead, the program is often most effective as part of a long-term workforce strategy aimed at building leadership and technical expertise within the dairy.
How Much Does a TN Visa Hire Cost?
Costs vary by case, but farms should plan for recruitment, legal services and government filing fees, with timing playing a big role in where you land in the range.
On the government side, Everson outlines several fixed pieces for candidates already in the U.S.:
“The I‑129 filing fee is typically $500 to $1,000 depending on how many employees are employed at that business. Also, they have an asylum fee of $600 for 25‑plus employees, or $300 if you have less than 25. There is also the optional premium processing fee, which is $2,805, but it really moves the process along.”
Everson notes the standard processing for a TN petition typically runs about three to four months. Premium processing adds a $2,805 charge but can bring a decision in roughly 15 business days. That timing choice directly affects what a farm spends overall.
“When a farmer needs help, they usually need them as soon as possible,” Everson says. “If they are able to wait and not have to invest in the premium processing, the price would be on the lower end of that scale. But with the premium processing, it can be higher.
For workers coming directly from Mexico, the structure looks a little different.
“If you’re getting a candidate directly from Mexico, the only additional fee above the agency fees would be the optional emergency filing fee,” Everson says, adding some candidates may also need help with travel costs, which gets to be quite expensive for them to take care of on their own.
On top of government fees, farms should factor in agency and law firm fees, which vary by provider, plus whatever compensation package they put around the role — wages, housing, insurance, vehicles or other benefits.
Everson emphasizes this is not designed as a low-cost hiring path, but he says the structure and support behind it can make the investment worthwhile .
“TN visas are investments, but they’re certainly an investment worth making,” she says. “They really bring quality individuals to the farm.”
St. Cyr encourages producers to look past the initial sticker shock and think in terms of long‑term value.
“It may seem expensive, but when you really vet the right people and you get the right people here, the benefits we’ve seen outweigh the costs,” he says.
Get the Job Description Right
A strong job description is one of the most important pieces of a successful application. Everson says the position must accurately reflect professional responsibilities and align with the candidate’s education and training.
“Building a strong job description is very important to having a successful outcome,” she says.
Her team frequently works with farms to refine job descriptions and support letters before filing paperwork.
Stup cautions producers against trying to fit positions into the program if they do not meet the requirements.
“You can’t use this to hire someone that doesn’t have qualifications,” he says. “They will be looking at the job description and the qualifications of the applicant.”
St. Cyr agrees.
“That support letter needs to be well written, complete and thorough,” he says.
Support Employees and Their Families
Unlike some other visa programs, TN visas allow spouses and children under the age of 21 to accompany employees on dependent visas. Children can attend school in the U.S., although spouses cannot work unless they qualify independently for a TN visa.
Housing is not a requirement under the program, but many farms choose to provide it.
“The families we’ve had here, we made the decision to provide housing,” St. Cyr says. “They’ve become members of the community, their kids go to school and we enjoy having them here.”
Everson encourages farms to think beyond the job itself and help employees become connected within the community.
“I like to make sure they’re informed about the community and what amenities are available so they can integrate themselves better as well,” she says.
Culture Still Drives Success
Strong farm culture still plays a role in how well teams perform, especially as farms bring together employees with different backgrounds, education levels and areas of expertise. When expectations are clear and communication flows both directions, teams tend to adapt more easily and build stronger working relationships over time.
For St. Cyr, success often comes down to attitude and a willingness to learn from one another.
“Find someone with the heart of a teacher,” he says. “Someone who is willing to share what they know while also learning from the people around them.”
Everson agrees long-term retention is closely tied to how people experience the workplace day-to-day. Compensation plays a role, but it is rarely the only factor influencing whether employees stay and grow within an operation.
“There will always be jobs that pay more, but it often comes down to the culture, how people are treated and how they feel in the workplace,” she says.
On many farms, culture shows up in the details, from how employees are trained and supported to how leadership responds to questions, mistakes and new ideas. Operations that prioritize collaboration and respect tend to create an environment where employees are more likely to stay engaged and take on additional responsibility.
What Dairy Producers Should Know
For producers considering TN visas, Everson and St. Cyr offer several practical takeaways:
- Focus on filling professional-level positions that require specialized training, education and management responsibility rather than entry-level roles.
- Build detailed job descriptions that align with responsibilities and educational requirements.
- Budget for recruitment, legal and government filing costs.
- Build hiring timelines months in advance.
- Look for candidates who enjoy teaching and collaborating with coworkers.
- Help employees and their families become part of the local community.
Stup says TN visas are likely to remain a specialized workforce tool rather than a broad labor solution for agriculture, given the program’s focus on professional roles that require specific education and training.
“Because it is very specific and limited to people with higher education and training, I don’t expect it to become some huge source of labor for U.S. agriculture,” he says. “But as farms become more professional and more highly skilled, there’s going to be more need for highly skilled and trained individuals.”
For dairies looking to strengthen management teams, develop employees and add technical expertise, TN visas may offer another avenue for recruiting talent in an increasingly competitive labor market. For some operations, it becomes a way to build momentum within the team, creating a situation where both the farm and the employee benefit.
For more on labor, read:
- Promoting Your Best Worker Isn’t Always the Best Move
- Employee Development is Becoming a Bigger Focus on Farms
- A Place to Work and a Place to Live: How One Dairy Provides Housing for Nearly All of Its Employees
- Why a Stable, Legal Workforce is Our Only Path Forward
- The Ticking Clock: How New Overtime Laws are Redefining the U.S. Dairy Farm
