2024 Fall Farm Outlook Lincoln Daily News Oct 2024 Page 31 state they operate within. A report by Kansas State University and the Kansas Department of Agriculture stated that, if the agricultural labor shortage were addressed, it could raise Kansas’s economy by $11.7 billion. Are there any solutions to this problem, and if so, what are they? Well, in 2023, the USDA created a grant program designed to help farmers address their concerns with labor shortages. It is called the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Grant Program. The Farm Bureau also suggests recruiting labor in places such as high schools and colleges, 4-H and FFA programs, local bulletin boards, and even online. Beside recruiting in the right places, the Farm Bureau also suggests identifying the skills you need in your workers and being clear about the expectations you have for your employees. They also recommend you be willing to teach any newly hired employees. Just because someone does not have the skill when you hire them does not mean they cannot learn. “Some of your best potential employees may not have a background in agriculture but could learn,” a Farm Bureau article states. Probably one of the most important aspects of farm labor, however, is immigration. According to a 2019-2020 survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey, “approximately 68% of farm workers are foreign-born, the overwhelming majority from Mexico.” A potential issue of this statistic is the additional statistic of how many of these foreign-born workers are undocumented. According to Rice University’s Baker Institute website, “agriculture is recognized as one of the sectors with the highest proportion of undocumented workers.” This website went on to state that, of all the farm labor force, undocumented workers have “comprised around 40% of the labor force over the last three decades.” The U.S. government has been attempting to create legal pathways for these undocumented workers to legally get into the country for a time and work as seasonal labor. The H-2A Temporary Agricultural Program, also known as the H-2A visa program, pairs foreign-born individuals looking to work in the U.S. with farmers who are looking for laborers. This program does have its drawbacks, such as the fact that the laborers are granted a maximum stay of ten months. While this works for crop farmers, many livestock farmers, who need labor year-round, are not completely covered by the visa program. Another potential issue is the need for proof. According to the USDA’s website, the farmer “must demonstrate… Continued --
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