Michigan State Researcher: Dairy Farmers Need To Be Better Employee Managers

One of the major challenges for dairy farmers is getting workers on the farm. Michigan State University field educator Stan Moore recently spoke at the Farm Journal’s MILK Business Conference, discussing labor issues. Moore said labor issues may be a new development for the U.S. economy at large, but it’s nothing new for the dairy community.

“That's right, I mean it has been a difficult issue on farms, obviously, very independent on the area that of the state that you're in or the or the country that you're in, different competing markets. But it's a challenge to get individuals that want to come and work on a dairy farm.”

Moore says it’s not just an issue over worker pay.

“Pay is important, right? Pay and benefits, we have to be competitive with our area, right? Whether that would be other farms in the area, dairy farms, fruit farms, could be businesses, your local fast-food chain, you're in competition, so you have to be competitive with your wage. But the other things are as important, so how do I treat employees, am I providing training for employees that helps them to grow in their job, feel competent in their job? What's the teamwork like on my farm? What kind of environment are they working in on my farm? All those things begin to play into that.”

He said research from Michigan State University shows responses from 170 farm workers on the issues important to them.

“What they're telling us is where employers are falling short and what's most important to them as far as what's going to keep me on this farm. One of the top things that they're saying is employers need to do a better job of how they treat employees, and are they open to hearing from the employee about problems? Are they interested in what that teamwork situation is on the farm? Can an employee feel comfortable coming to them with whatever issue is on their mind and talking with them? You know, are you approachable? Do they have that relationship with you? There's the old adage that I'm going to hire onto your business because of your reputation, probably going to leave your business because of my direct supervisor. So, that relationship is key with that direct supervisor. And so, if there's one thing that we can work on the farm is becoming better employee managers.”

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