Across California, farmers face chronic problems in finding and hiring qualified employees, according to a survey conducted by the California Farm Bureau Federation (CFBF).
The informal survey of Farm Bureau members showed that more than half of responding farmers had experienced employee shortages during the past year. The figure was higher among farmers who need to hire employees on a seasonal basis—69 percent of those farmers reported experiencing shortages. The results are similar to a survey CFBF conducted in 2012.
“Farmers have offered higher wages, benefits and more year-round jobs,” said CFBF President Paul Wenger. “They have tried to mechanize operations where possible, and have even changed crops or left ground idle. But employee shortages persist.”
When asked what actions they have taken in response to employee shortages, farmers participating in the survey most frequently cited increased wages, benefits and additional incentives. Farmers also reported they had used, attempted to use or investigated the use of mechanization; reduced cultivation activities such as pruning trees and vines; and either planted fewer acres or left some crops unharvested.
Wenger said he expects farmers to continue offering higher wages and moving toward mechanization, but that the survey results underline the need for action by Congress to improve the existing agricultural immigration program.
Source: fruitgrowersnews.com