News

Labor shortages causing tough decisions for farmers

An extension educator says a lack of labor for specialty crops has more Michigan farmers scraping for options.

Ben Phillips with Michigan State University Extension tells Brownfield vegetable growers in the Thumb of Michigan and to the east have become more scattered and finding enough labor for an entire growing season has many questioning if now is the time to shift the business model or exit completely.  “A lot of vegetable farms are downsizing, that’s for sure, 80 acre parcels are being sold for other uses.”

He says vegetable growers are shifting more of their acres to field crops and in highly populated regions are facing increasing pressure to sell.  “When they can’t get labor they feel like giving up and that’s a tough pill to take.  They’re thinking about retiring, a lot of them are at retirement age, and this can be the sort of stress that hastens that decision.”

Michigan State University Extension is hosting ag labor meetings this March to offer options for specialty crop and dairy farmers facing labor shortages as well as ways to improve employee retention and recruitment.

AUDIO: Interview with Ben Phillips