Labor
Teresa McQueen, corporate counsel for Western Growers Association, shares best practices for reducing turnover, elevating company culture and becoming an employer of choice.
Putting off letting go of the wrong employee often makes problems harder to fix later.
A federal audit wiped out Drumgoon Dairy’s staff, exposing agriculture’s labor crisis. This South Dakota farm’s labor struggle highlights the urgent need for immigration reform to sustain the U.S. food supply.
The debate over immigration and ag labor reform has been a political hot potato for decades now and has led to inaction by Congress, but leaders of the House and Senate Ag Committees say they are making it a priority for 2026.
Conflict on the farm is a normal part of working with people, and if it’s addressed early and handled respectfully, it can help teams work better together.
Federal government will cut the bureaucracy to support the dairy industry, focused on tougher measures to stop major animal disease problems and improve labor availability.
Create a high-functioning team through accountability, selflessness and shared goals.
A new study from The University of Illinois shows how much money a farmer can expect to spend while running their favorite brand-new farm tractor this fall. Prepare for sticker shock.
Labor costs continue to rise for California farmers, but skilled labor isn’t something growers are able to find with the current H-2A program. Labor experts, economists and farmers agree the current immigration system is “broken,” but a solution could be on the horizon.
The manufacturer says decreased demand and lower order volumes for its farm equipment are the main factors for this wave of dismissals.
At least nine dairies in Texas were targets of I-9 audits over the weekend. Producers argue it’s a “broken” immigration system, and the recent audits prove the E-Verify program has flaws. Despite criticism, the dairy industry is pushing to be included in the H-2A guest worker program.
A shrinking labor pool is already having an impact, and ag experts say it’s only going to get tougher.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says the administration plans to announce some updates soon to make the guestworker program more efficient and easier to use.
The on-again, off-again reports regarding ICE raids is sowing confusion for those who rely on immigrant labor and causing labor shortages because employees aren’t showing up for work.
As the Adverse Effect Wage Rate continues to climb year after year for the H-2A guestworker program with little clarity on how the USDA calculates the rates, organizations are saying, “enough is enough.”
After a week of ICE seemingly targeting dairy farms, California produce farms and a meat packing plant in Nebraska, President Donald Trump is reportedly ordering the Department of Homeland Security to exclude farms from immigration raids.
If the next generation isn’t coming back, it’s not the end. But it is time for a new plan.
“We must ensure that we make a way for young and beginning farmers to fill our boots,” said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Top of the list: Reforming the FSA loan program, regulatory action to disincentivize federal funding for solar panels on productive farmland and expanding permitting of unused or underused federal land for long-term leases.
A sneak peak of Farm Journal’s leading-edge survey insights illustrates strategic solutions that generate renewed confidence, ensuring a promising path forward for the industry.
The shrinking pool of workers in rural areas is a real concern as populations decline and economic opportunities increase in countries that have historically been sources of agricultural labor for the U.S.
This Colorado operation may have faced adversity, but Marc Arnusch’s willingness to reinvent his family farm is why he’s been named the 2025 Top Producer of the Year.
Since being confirmed on Feb. 13, Secretary Rollins has been in the Washington D.C., USDA office for a few hours. Most of her time has been spent visiting farmers, ranchers and ag businesses in Kentucky, Kansas and at Top Producer Summit.
President Trump’s focus on mass deportation is creating a sense of nervousness that hasn’t been felt since the Obama Administration. Yet, the bigger concern is a H-2A system that’s become too costly for many farmers to use.
As labor shortages in the ag industry persist, it’s a good idea to brush up on your knowledge of the H-2A and H-2B programs.
Complacency happens to our operations when we decide we are simply too busy working in the business to work on the business.
One thing my dad taught me at an early age was that if I didn’t keep myself busy, he would. When you live on a farm, there is always something to do. Here’s a look at that lesson in life through my lens now.