YOUR TEXAS AGRICULTURE MINUTE

Farm and ranch workers needed to fill jobs

By Gary Joiner
Publisher

A farm in Massachusetts said it recently spent $500 advertising on Indeed for a job it had running a produce stand.

The farm owner said he received zero applicants.

The situation and response is all too common throughout much of U.S. agriculture. There are farm and ranch jobs available but no interested or qualified workers to fill them.

Concerns about labor shortages in agriculture continue to grow.

This year’s Farm Journal Labor Survey found 87% of farm employers and 91% of ag retailers are finding it harder to fill positions. Many believed unemployment benefits were enough to keep applicants away.

The Labor Survey also revealed some farmers are now considering hiring H-2A workers for the first time, while retailers continue to struggle to find qualified candidates.

Where American workers are unwilling or unavailable, workers from other countries have provided crucial support to American agriculture.

And the number of jobs available on U.S. farms could likely increase. The Labor Survey says 44% of farmers who don’t currently employ workers are looking to hire in the next three years.

Farmers and ranchers need a reliable, skilled workforce. The current labor shortage is one of the most pressing challenges impacting our nation’s food and fiber production.

The preceding commentary is brought to you by Texas Farm Bureau, the “Voice of Texas Agriculture.” Called “Your Texas Agriculture Minute,” TFB will issue thought-provoking editorials each week—via print and audio—to spark understanding of agriculture in the Lone Star State and its impact on each and every Texan.

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