Random thoughts on ag labor shortage

[JazzDad]

The radio told me that there were tons of crops left in the fields last year due to the inability to get enough workers to harvest them. I won't go into the effects of immigration, temporary or permanent, on this situation. I am wondering how many people would be willing to take a week of vacation from their jobs and pick fruit or vegetables, for what may be minimum wage. And if there was a large number of people willing to do this, how would we match them up with the growers who need this labor?

 

[dooleysm]

If I'm taking a week of vacation to do physical labor, it's going to be at my house, not making minimum wage in somebody else's field. I can't imagine you'll find anyone that would take a week of vacation to basically volunteer to help a wealthy stranger.

The problem is not a labor shortage. The problem is the wage the farmers are willing to pay does not line up with the wage that the labor market will support.

 

[charlz]

My very first job as a kid was picking vegetables for 10 cents a pound. I was a pea picking machine but cukes was where the 'big money' was at

Having that experience and having big gardens I would have to say no... I wouldn't do it. Now.... if they wanted to pay me minimum wage to drive a tractor for a 'weeks vacation' I might have to think about it

 

[MossRoad]

Interesting subject.

Personally, I am at a point in my life that I take my paid vacations to spend time with my family having fun, not working.

However, when I was young, I frequently worked several jobs for low wages while putting myself through school. And yes, when I was on vacation from my full time job, I would work labor at other places. Kind of like getting paid twice. I'd have no problem working for minimum wage to make some extra cash if I didn't have a family to spend time with.

 

[chh]

If I'm taking a week of vacation to do physical labor, it's going to be at my house, not making minimum wage in somebody else's field. I can't imagine you'll find anyone that would take a week of vacation to basically volunteer to help a wealthy stranger.

The problem is not a labor shortage. The problem is the wage the farmers are willing to pay does not line up with the wage that the labor market will support.

Not to really argue with you but I think you would find that most farmers are wealthy in land and equipment and cash poor. What they can afford to pay is goverened by the price they expect to receive. You can't run a business paying more in wages than you will make from the crop.

 

[dooleysm]

I agree 100%. But the fact remains, they are wealthy compared to most. I think there are many other people that are far worse off and much more in need of a week of volunteer work. Let's face it, if you are in a position to take a week of paid vacation, you are most probably in a position to spend that week working less and earning more than you will get out of picking vegetables in a field.

If you aren't doing it for the money, then volunteer the week at a soup kitchen or building a house for Habitat for Humanity, or any other number of worthy volunteer jobs.

If you are doing it for the money, you are selling yourself short.

If you are doing it to have fun while working outside, you're going to do a project at your own place or at your buddy's house and have a six pack at your side.

While I have sympathy for the farmer, he's not in a position where his family is going to starve if he doesn't get his crops picked. Worst case, he'll have to sell off his assets, and then he'll be cash rich and land/equipment poor.

 

[chh]

In which case someone else has the land to farm, which gives him the same problem or it is sold to have houses/ranchettes on it, then your food comes from china or someplace else with little or no food inspection/regulation. The former farmer then has to get a real job to earn money since many are mortaged to hilt on the land and machinery and after taxes on the sale he wouldn't have anything left anyway. I am a full time rancher and if I sold everything I had I still couldn't buy a house in many areas and retire. That all said I wouldn't take a vacation(if I got a vacation) to do it unless I needed the extra cash.
The only real hope for the labor situation is more mechanical picking, so you can pay a few hands better,(not to mention pay for another expensive machine), and still get your crops in. The trends in regulations and animal rights groups on poultry, hog, dairy and other confined feeding operations are gradually driving them to Mexico as it is. Mexicans can then work at home and the taxes and Ag investment $$$ will be there.

 

[Western]

I wouldn't do it either. I am for the mechanical idea, maybe the shortage will produce more product development and enovation.

I think state, county and federal inmates should be a source for cheep labor when practical, they can earn a little for restitution and still be productive.

 

[goneandbrokeit]

I wouldn't do it either. I am for the mechanical idea, maybe the shortage will produce more product development and enovation.

I think state, county and federal inmates should be a source for cheep labor when practical, they can earn a little for restitution and still be productive.

I am wondering how many INCARCERATED people would be willing to take a week of vacation from their SENTENCES and pick fruit or vegetables, for what may be minimum wage. And if there was a large number of PRISONERS willing to do this, how would we match them up with the growers who need this labor?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I agree 100%. But the fact remains, they are wealthy compared to most.

Wow, I didn't know I was wealthy. Thanks for letting me know. But if you don't mind, could you tell me where all my money is then

As for the labor shortage, you will not find very many people on the unemployment line willing to do the work the migrants do. And I would never expect people with jobs to take a vacation to help out a stranger.

I can't afford to pay my workers very much but I do pay them above minimum. Usually around $9-$10 an hour. The kids I hire would rather bag groceries or flip burgers then pick apples or toss bales of hay around. The people on unemployment would rather wait for a dream factory job then work as a lowly farmhand for a wealthy farmer.

However, I can call up the migrants and they will be here regardless of the weather, work hard and are honest and they don't complain. I pay them what they ask and do not dicker them down. I just wish I had enough work to hire them full time.

There are people that do like farm work but most farmers can not afford the benifits they want and need like health insurance so they tend to leave for jobs that they don't like but have benifits.