Resources

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.

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.

Online tools for estimating hourly tractor usage costs

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.

This article in The Conversation, discusses how household expenses like access to health care and child care affect farm development.

This toolkit was developed by the Immigrant Services Network of Austin (TX) to assist individuals and families with preparing to respond effectively in the event of a worksite raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). While it is oriented to Texas, it includes resources that can be easily adapted to other states.

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.

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.

In Episode 9 of the Growing for Market Podcast, Katie Kulla from Oakhill Organics in Oregon talks about how farmers who have just had a baby can smooth the transition into parenthood while keeping the farm running.

Published in 2023, this 69-page guide provides insights into what employees on diversified vegetable farms value in a workplace and practical action-oriented tips to attracting employees and to building positive, long-term relationships with those individuals. Authors: Sarah Janes Ugoretz, Anita Adalja, and Rue Policastro.

La agricultura hacia el futuro centrando a les trabajadores agricolas
Publicada en 2023, esta guía de 69 páginas brinda información sobre lo que los empleados de granjas de hortalizas diversificadas valoran en un lugar de trabajo y consejos prácticos orientados a la acción para atraer empleados y construir relaciones positivas a largo plazo con esas personas.

This exercise can help build more productive and stronger farm work teams. It can help improve how employees work together and their level of compassion for each other. Finally, it can help you become a better and more dynamic supervisor.

The Agricultural Justice Project's Food Justice Certification standards are designed to promote fair working conditions for farm workers, as well as fair practices for businesses who buy from farms so that farm operators can maintain a sustainable enterprise.