The United States H-2A "guestworker" visa program allows farmers to hire workers from other countries to fill temporary/seasonal positions when local workers aren't available.
Growing For Market has covered the H-2A program in both a 2021 online article and a 2023 podcast episode, offering first-hand perspectives and useful information to consider when deciding if the H-2A program could be a good fit for your operation.
Either as a worker or as a manager you need to be aware of physical hazards, know how to assess risks and learn how to plan to minimize dangers so that your farm will be a safe place for workers, visitors and volunteers.
You can focus on prevention using the Agricultural Justice Project's introduction to developing a health & safety program for your farm, which includes a list of topics to consider for a safety audit.
The Developing a Values-Based Vision for Your Farm workbook helps producers examine their skills, interests, beliefs, expectations, obstacles and strengths to set a holistic vision for their farming operations. The answers to these questions will guide the decisions and direct the choices you make in growing your business.
In this article in the Growing For Market magazine, Rebecca Kutzer-Rice of Moonshot Farm in NJ describes her experience developing a thriving migrant workforce in depth, including:
• How to connect with local refugee resettlement agencies
• An introduction to the H-2A migrant worker program
• Legal and transportation considerations
• Tips for overcoming language and cultural barriers
• How to create a welcoming farm environment that feels like home
In this short blog post, UVM Extension's Mary Peabody outlines easy steps every farm manager can take to make sure their farm workers can help first responders get to the farm quickly in the case of a medical emergency or serious injury.
The Farm Manager video series covers management skills that can help create a positive, productive farm work environment. Topics include:
- Training Your Employees
- Reference Checks
- Providing Feedback to Employees
- Dealing With Problems in the Workplace
- Preventing Discrimination and Harrassment
- Ending Employment
The series was produced by University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension and University of Vermont Extension.
Maintaining physical distance is an important step in limiting the spread of COVID-19. But how does physical distancing work on a farm when new employees need training, coaching and oversight? This…
The Equipment Cost Recovery Calculator is a spreadsheet-based workbook that helps estimate the time it will take to recover the cost of purchasing new equipment through increased labor efficiency (labor cost savings). It was developed by the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at the University of Wisconsin.
This publication provides a broad range of practical, easy-to-implement solutions for improving safety, health and working conditions in agriculture. It was produced by the International Labour Office in collaboration with the International Ergonomics Association
Guides from the Center for Disease Control and the National Farm Medicine Center cover a variety of topics related to ergonomic safe practices for agricultural labor.
Organizations like Agribility and AgriSafe have created a variety of instructional handouts covering exercises and stretches that help people in the agricultural sector prepare for their daily work.
The Pennsylvania State University Farm Safety Program and the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH) have developed fact sheets on health insurance options for farm workers, as well as on laws and regulations affecting farm safety.
El Programa de Seguridad Agrícola de la Universidad Estatal de Pensilvania y el Centro para la Salud y Seguridad Agrícola del Alto Medio Oeste (UMASH) ofrecen hojas informativas para trabajadores agrícolas sobre las opciones de seguro de salud, así como también sobre leyes y reglamentaciones que afectan la seguridad agrícola.
Hiring and managing employees is one of the most challenging parts of running a growing farm business. In this workshop recording Beth Holtzman of UVM Extension provides primer on the Farm Labor Dashboard's online suite of tools. These resources are designed to help farmers improve their labor planning and management practices. Beth walks participants through key strategies for recruiting, training, and evaluating employees, helping farm owners set themselves and their teams up for long-term success. Then, Andrew Lawson of Appleton Farm, shares real-world insights on seasonal labor planning, staff hiring and training, and daily employee management. The session was hosted by the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project and is part of a six-part educational series.
This 36-page booklet explains what machinery management is, why it is important, and the basics of selecting, maintaining, operating and replacing farm equipment and machinery.
The Farm Manager video series is six short video lessons on key aspects of managing employees on farms. Topics include:
- Training Your Employees
- Reference Checks
- Providing Feedback to Employees
- Dealing With Problems in the Workplace
- Preventing Discrimination and Harrassment
- Ending Employment
The series was produced by University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension and University of Vermont Extension.
In this August 2022 article from Growing for Market, farmer Katie Kulla explores the challenges pregnant farmers may face—such as finding proper gear and clothing, changing ergonomics, and the emotional work of pregnancy. Kulla also talks about preparations to make that will help the family farm keep running smoothly after the arrival of a new baby.
In Episode 8 of the Growing for Market Podcast, Katie Kulla talks about balancing farming, pregnancy and parenting. Kulla has written three articles on the subject for Growing For Market and her writing is informed by numerous farmer interviews. She also brings to the conversation her own experiences farming in Yamhill County, Oregon with her husband and two home-schooled kids.
