Recruiting & Staffing Services Category Guide
Part of People, Labor, and Workforce
The Dairy Labor Challenge
Finding reliable, skilled workers is consistently ranked as dairy farmers' top challenge. Rural locations, demanding schedules, and competition from other industries make recruitment difficult. Understanding your options—from local hiring to H-2A guest workers to staffing agencies—helps you build a stable workforce.
Recruiting Options
Direct Hiring
Traditional recruitment through job postings, word of mouth, and local advertising. Works best where labor markets have available workers and your farm has competitive wages and conditions.
Farm Labor Contractors
Companies that employ workers and contract them to farms. They handle payroll, taxes, and often recruitment. You pay a markup but reduce administrative burden and employment liability.
H-2A Guest Worker Program
Federal program allowing temporary foreign agricultural workers. Requires offering jobs to U.S. workers first, providing housing, and meeting wage requirements. Complex but provides reliable seasonal labor.
Staffing Agencies
General or agricultural staffing agencies that screen and provide workers. Some specialize in agriculture and understand dairy's unique needs.
H-2A Program Considerations
- Lead time: Applications must be filed 45-75 days before need date
- Housing required: Must provide free housing meeting federal standards
- Wage requirements: Must pay Adverse Effect Wage Rate (varies by state)
- Transportation: Must reimburse travel costs
- Guarantees: Must offer 75% of contract hours
Improving Recruitment Success
- Competitive wages and benefits
- Quality housing if provided
- Clear job descriptions and expectations
- Positive workplace culture
- Training and advancement opportunities
- Employee referral bonuses
Cost Considerations
Farm labor contractor markups typically run 20-40% above wages. Staffing agency fees vary widely. H-2A program costs include attorney fees ($2,000-5,000), housing construction or rental, transportation, and wage premiums. Calculate total cost per worker-hour to compare options fairly.