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Retaining good help just got tougher
Retaining good help just got tougher
In an agricultural workforce already stretched thin, removing exemptions from federal labor laws creates more hurdles for dairy farm owners.
Dairy owners must balance employee needs with running a profitable business that provides jobs for the community.
Whether your dairy farm is staffed entirely by family, brings in a few outside workers, or employs dozens of people, providing a safe, desirable work environment is key to making sure you have people to complete the tasks of producing milk.
Despite the advances in areas such as safety, automation, and health benefits that have made dairies better places to work, farmers still struggle to hire a reliable workforce. At its core, dairy farming consists of irregularly long hours and tough jobs, making it a less-than-desirable workplace for many people.
Feb 11, 2021
New York state farm operators can expect a tight labor market and rising wages in the year ahead, in addition to continued pandemic precautions, debate over immigration reform and potential changes to overtime pay, according to a Cornell agriculture expert.
“Ag labor is going to remain scarce due to … underlying demographics and labor market factors, even if we get immigration reform,” said Richard Stup, agricultural workforce specialist in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and at Cornell Cooperative Extension. “Wages are going to continue to climb from both market and regulatory pressure.”
Stup offered his outlook for the sector during the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management’s 2021 Agricultural and Food Business Outlook Conference, held virtually Jan. 25. The conference also featured presentations on the outlook for the U.S. economy and for the dairy, fruit, vegetable and wine markets.
Overtime pay is closer than you think
Overtime requirements were a topic of much discussion on the February 3
Hoard’s Dairyman DairyLivestream focused on agricultural labor, as the standards being set by some states could create precedence for other parts of the country to follow. Agricultural Workforce Specialist Richard Stup of Cornell Cooperative Extension pointed out that although the vast majority of state laws mirror the federal laws regarding work week and minimum wage, if an individual state decides to enact stricter standards, that is what must be followed.
Three top-10 dairy states are among those leading the charge with more protection for agricultural workers: California, New York, and Minnesota.