The new chairman of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) says having a stable and secure workforce is one of the top challenges facing producers.
Fourth-generation dairy farmer Brian Rexing tells Brownfield Ag News, “Dairy farming is seven days a week, 24 hours a day. It’s not seasonal, it’s every season.”
Rexing was elected to lead during the organization’s recent joint annual meeting. He says immigration raids on farms this past year have caused nervousness in the countryside.
“Figuring out how we can get that workforce on our farms safely is a tough issue, and we’re going to be working on this diligently until we can get something resolved,” he shares.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins outlined the Trump administration’s milk action plan as part of her remarks during the meeting, which Rexing says he hopes will make progress soon.
Rollins promised to seek federal changes to rules and regulations in coordination with the Departments of Labor and Homeland Security, saying USDA is acutely aware of the dairy industry’s labor needs.
Rollins outlined priorities, including incentivizing dairy consumption through changes to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, reducing input costs, facilitating investments in American milk processing, and expanding markets to support milk producers.
Rexing operates New Generation Dairy, near Owensville, Indiana, milking 1,200 cows and farming 3,500 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, and alfalfa with his family.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
It seems there are plenty of farmers looking for seasonal and full-time workers. That is particularly important to the dairy industry. Milking and managing the health and nutritional requirements of several hundred dairy cows requires skilled, hard-working people with a specialized skill set. Part of the answer lies with Congress and the passage of new legislation to open up the H2-A program. Another component is recruiting and training potential workers. Recruitment can begin in elementary schools and go all the way until high school graduation. All in all, labor shortages on the farm/ranch are very serious issues that must be resolved or agriculture will begin experiencing the longer-term impacts, which will directly affect the consumer.
Any support you can provide to agricultural organizations that represent farmers/ranchers, especially dairy farmers and fruit and vegetable producers, will be greatly appreciated. Such actions help bring visibility to your dealership and to build trust with those agricultural customers looking for that new truck!
