U.S. Agriculture Workforce Actions Due to COVID-19

Ames, IA –The COVID-19 situation is rapidly changing. AgCareers.com continues to keep a pulse on agricultural industry’s employment situation. To identify key trends over time during the pandemic, AgCareers.com conducted two surveys of agricultural employers, along with two surveys of employees/job seekers. AgCareers.com released these trends in the new Agribusiness Workforce Preparations for COVID-19: Highlights Report.

 

 

Results show that most U.S. agricultural employers now have a pandemic business continuity plan in place. Employers’ dominant coverage plan for sick or absent employees is work rotation – minimize exposure among staff with on and off schedules. More than 80% of ag employers have not taken action to manage employment numbers, but for those that have acted, furloughs were the most frequent action. Regarding summer internship plans, nearly half of ag employers are still evaluating what their plan will be. 
 

 

One-third of US employees report they are now working from home because of COVID-19. Nearly 80% of employees said COVID-19 hasn’t impacted their employment status. If there was a change, the most common was reduction in hours. Nearly half (46%) of job seekers and employees say they’re exploring their job options, which remained steady from the first survey.

 

Please view the entire Agribusiness Workforce Preparations for COVID-19: Highlights Report at this link for more details. AgCareers.com continues to survey agricultural employees, candidates and employers on the ever-changing nature of COVID-19’s impact on agriculture. AgCareers.com will be identifying trends over time, highlighting key employer and job seeker concerns. Expect additional releases with updated data as it becomes available throughout the pandemic. For more information, view the AgCareers.com COVID-19 Resource Page or email agcareers@agcareers.com.          

 

 

The AgCareers.com mission is to provide global talent solutions in agriculture and food. They strive to “Feed the World with Talent” in the industries they serve. AgCareers.com’s passion is agriculture, demonstrated by their investment in time and resources engaging with candidates and employers in the industry. They work to build the pipeline of talent to the industry by expanding knowledge about the breadth of career opportunities in agriculture. For more information, visit www.AgCareers.com.