Last year, I was chosen to be one of twenty individuals selected to serve on the USDA Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. This committee provided guidance to the Secretary of Agriculture on strategies, policies, and programs aimed at expanding opportunities for new farmers and ranchers.
As many of our Farmer Veterans know, the path to entering agriculture comes with significant challenges. Over the next few newsletters, I will delve into some of these barriers and explore potential solutions. If you have insights or experiences you would like to share, please feel free to reach out to me at jeanette@farmvetco.org.
Some key challenges we will examine include rising costs and inflation, access to land and capital, labor shortages, extreme weather, behavioral health and healthcare in rural America, competition, market access, navigating government programs, and uncertainty in agricultural policy and regulations. Let us begin with labor.
Addressing Labor Shortages for Veteran Farmers
Labor shortages are one of the biggest challenges facing small/beginning and mid-sized farms today, and Veteran farmers are feeling the impact. With an aging workforce and fewer young workers entering agriculture, finding reliable farm labor has become increasingly difficult. For Veterans who have transitioned into farming, these challenges can be even more pronounced.
Why Is There a Labor Shortage?
Several factors have contributed to the labor crisis in agriculture.
- Aging Workforce: Many experienced farm workers are retiring, and fewer replacements are available.
- Declining Interest in Farm Work: Farming is physically demanding, seasonal, and often unpredictable, making it less attractive to younger workers.
- Immigration Policy Challenges: Many farms traditionally rely on immigrant labor, but H-2A visa processing delays and regulatory restrictions have reduced the available workforce.
- Urban Migration & Rural Decline: Younger generations are moving to cities for higher paying, less labor-intensive jobs.
- Competition from Larger Farms: Larger farms can offer higher wages and benefits, making it harder for small farms to compete.
- Rising Labor Costs: Inflation and increased wages have put additional strain on small farm budgets, especially when commodity prices remain stagnant.
Challenges for Veteran Farmers
Veteran farmers face unique difficulties when it comes to labor shortages.
- Physical & Behavioral Health Limitations: Service-related injuries can make manual labor more difficult. Luckily, there are resources like AgrAbility, Quality of Life Plus, and many more to provide accommodation and tools that can make farming a reality for many.
- Limited Hiring Resources: Many small/beginning farms lack formal recruitment channels, whereas larger farms can have an HR department or recruit workers through labor contractors to secure helpers.
- Need for Skilled Workers: Operating machinery, managing livestock, and handling farm logistics require specialized skills. Agriculture does not lend itself to on-the-job training where mistakes can dissolve profit margin quickly.
- Dependence on Family Labor: Many Veteran-run farms rely heavily on family members, leading to burnout and limiting the ability to scale and grow the operation.
Potential Solutions
Despite these challenges, there are ways to mitigate labor shortages.
- Veteran Workforce Programs: Expanding initiatives like the Farmer Veteran Coalition’s training programs to connect Veterans with farm work that so many of them enjoy. Whether it is in the field, in the laboratory, being a diesel mechanic in the shop, or flying drones over orchards, there are so many parrels for skill transfer from serving our country to feeding its people.
- Apprenticeships & Training: Encouraging young workers and Veterans to enter agriculture through firsthand training.
- Automation & Technology: Investing in machinery, robotics, and precision agriculture to reduce labor demands. This is an incredible time to be in agriculture!
- H-2A Visa Reform: Advocating for more efficient guest worker programs.
- Collaborative Labor Models: Farmer co-ops or partnerships where multiple farms share labor resources are able to secure marketing agreements, and purchase inputs in bulk.
- Incentives for Hiring Veterans: Tax breaks or wage subsidies for Veteran farm workers are another avenue that should be explored.
By leveraging these solutions, Veteran farmers can build more sustainable, resilient operations while helping to strengthen America’s agricultural workforce.
Now get out there and plow those fields! Spring is days away and many of our farmers are already in production throughout the country. May you have a prosperous year and have all the assistance you need in your operations.
