Addressing Labor Challenges Together

Aug 18, 2021

By Jeremy Jubenville and Florencia Colella

Ask any agricultural employer in Michigan to list their biggest concerns and there's a good chance labor ranks near the top. Attracting and retaining employees has long been a challenge for the food and agriculture industry. In an effort to address this issue, a multi-organizational team led by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has developed an Employer Hiring Needs survey to gain insight into the current hiring practices of food and agricultural employers. The team, which includes colleagues from MDARD, Michigan Farm Bureau, Michigan State University, Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and Michigan Works!, will use this insight to identify trends and develop recruiting and retention suggestions for Michigan's food and agricultural business sector.

Click for Food and Agriculture Employer Hiring Needs Form

Are you an employer in the food and agriculture sector? Please help our efforts to assist the industry in breaking out of a seemingly never-ending state of labor shortage by filling out the form and sharing it with other employers.

The Employer Needs Form gathers basic information, such as:

Size of organization
Benefits and compensation
Top hiring positions
Peak hiring months
Job promotion practices
Partner organizations
Training programs

It has 17 questions and should take about 10 minutes or less to complete.

Participation is voluntary and information gathered will remain confidential.

Source : msu.edu

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If you’re serious about managing risk and protecting your bottom line, this is a must-watch.