This two-pager provides guidance on what to do should ICE or Border Patrol come to your farm or stops your vehicle. Note: While the information in this resource has been reviewed by immigration attorneys, it should not be considered legal advice. For legal advice pertaining to your needs please consult with an attorney.
This FAQ-style resource helps farm businesses understand and manage payroll taxes. It covers topics such as Federal and State Unemployment Tax (FUTA and SUTA), the thresholds for paying these taxes, the costs involved, and the steps to comply with tax regulations. Author: Rachel Armstrong, Farm Commons. Last updated July 2024.
A standard application form that collects the same information from all job applicants and clearly displays your farm name and contact information is an important part of presenting your operation in a professional manner. This template provides a good basis for your employment application form and allows you to customize with your farm name and logo.
It is critical to the smooth workings of a farm that the people who work there take the time to resolve conflicts in a respectful way. Work to resolve conflicts in ways that contribute to the health and harmony of the entire farm community with this 3-step guide.
A personnel policy manual insures that all employees are aware of the policies and expectations of your business. A manual enhances your professionalism, creates consistency in communications, and protects you from appearing arbitrary in your treatment of employees. Drafting this manual will provide you and your management team the opportunity to think through your policies in advance and create a pleasant, productive work environment.
This 2021 report aims to help farmers create conditions that draw workers to their farm and encourage them to stay over the long term. Based on surveys and in-depth interviews with farmers primarily from the Upper Midwest, it is relevant to addressing common challenges among small and medium-sized vegetable producers in many parts of the US.
Reporting on two sets of interviews with 90 farmers and 19 farm workers in six states, this 2021 online seminar session shared highlights from stories about hiring and working on small and mid-sized farms in six states (NC, NH, OH, PA, VT, and WI).
This March 2021 series presented highlights from recent research and extension projects focusing on labor management and decision-making on small and mid-sized produce and livestock farms. Links to recordings, slide decks and related information and resources from each of the three one-hour sessions are provided.
This educational guide covers a broad range of legal topics relevant to agricultural producers in New Hampshire. Updated in 2025, it includes topics such as labor/employment law, business structures, and food regulations.
If you are new to the legal aspects being a farm employer, you will want to gain an understanding the following topics at a minimum: workers compensation, minimum wage, paperwork needed at the start…
UVM Extension's Agricultural Engineer Chris Callahan shares simple approaches to ergonomics - the practice of designing and arranging the things we use so that we interact with them efficiently and safely -- that can make a big difference to everyone.
When Southern Idaho producers expressed concerns with the turnover of Hispanic agriculture employees, University of Idaho Extension researchers deployed a survey to gauge the importance of different work factors and their impact on longevity of employment.
This article by Kimberly Williams-Brackett provides further analysis of the the research presented in Money Doesn’t Always Matter, Low Cost Ways to Increase the Longevity of Southern Idaho’s Hispanic Agricultural Employees while considering surveys and findings from the past 10 years.
The National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program provides curriculum that covers core content areas for tractor and machine operation safety, including safety basics, agricultural hazards, tractors, connecting and using implements with tractors and materials handling.
NYCAMH has a web page dedicated to providing health and safety resources for farmers. Materials, which have nationwide relevance, are available in both Spanish and English versions.
Having a system in place to orient new hires ensures each employee hears important information your operation and completes all the necessary forms. This checklist saves you from problems down the road when an important form is missing or some important policy does not get communicated.
This Growing for Market podcast explores efficient systems and organization for packing sheds and more with some of the industry's top problem-solvers.
El Programa de Seguridad Agrícola de la Universidad Estatal de Pensilvania ha producido más de 30 artículos y videos sobre temas de seguridad y salud en las granjas en español. Los temas abarcan desde opciones de seguro médico para trabajadores agrícolas hasta seguridad de tractores y equipos.
(A list of farm safety resources in Spanish from Penn State)
Pennsylvania State University's Farm Safety Program has produced 30+ articles and videos on farm safety and health topics in Spanish. Topics range from navigating health insurance options for farm workers to tractor and equipment safety.
Back Injury Prevention Quick Tips This poster from the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety provides a series of tips to avoid back injuries.
Two training videos you can reference to prevent sexual harassment on your farm, and to respond to it if need be:
Farm Manager Video Series: Preventing Sexual Harassment (UNH, UVM)
Safety in the Field: Addressing Workplace Sexual Harassment for Farm Workers (AgriSafe)
This checklist from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension can help you identify and share information about farm chores and their importance to farm operations.
Training Guides covering Pre-Harvest, Harvest, and Post-Harvest food safety topics were developed by the North Central Region FSMA Center (Available in PDF and PowerPoint)
Beginning June 28, 2024, a new set of federal labor rules will go into effect with the goal of strengthening farm worker protections and ensuring that use of the H2A program does not adversely affect…
El H5N1 es un virus de la gripe aviar que puede causarle enfermedades. Use el equipo de protección personal (EPP) recomendado al trabajar con animales enfermos y materiales que puedan estar infectados. Lea este recurso para obtener más información sobre cómo protegerse y proteger a su equipo.
(Recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) and other information on protecting yourself and your team from the H5N1 avian flu virus)
This video from the Farm Manager Video Series provides strategies for providing effective feedback to farm employees that motivate and improve work performance.
