Labor Management
By: Mark Mechling, Extension Educator, OSU Extension, Muskingum County
As we begin 2012, we look forward to new opportunities and challenges. Many of us develop resolutions (lose weight, stop smoking, spend more time with family) yet fail to achieve the impact we wanted. Why? Perhaps our resolutions are too vague or broad, not written down or too difficult to reach.
Resolutions and goals are similar. They are definite statements of how you plan to achieve your vision of the future. In management education they are referred to as SMART goals. They should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Rewarding and Timed. Goals should focus your attention, energy and action on desired results.
Consider the following when making your new year’s resolutions or goals- Write them down, start small, share them with others, keep them in front of you on a daily basis and reward yourself when successful.
Here are a few management resolutions that you might want to consider adding to your list for the new year.
In 2012, I resolve to:
Participate in at least one OSU Extension management education program such as Annie’s Project or a landowner’s program on oil and gas leasing.
Conduct at least two family business meetings to discuss conflict resolution, job descriptions, succession strategies and other long range plans. Read the OSU Extension Fact Sheet by Chris Zoller on family business meetings at : http://ohioline.osu.edu/bst-fact/pdf/3612.pdf for additional informat...
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Article is courtesy of Ohio AgriBusiness Association
Earlier this week, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio granted an extension of the hours of service exemption for agricultural operations until January 1, 2012 to account for this year’s longer harvest.
The extension resulted from a request the Ohio Agribusiness Association (OABA) submitted on November 18, 2011 and a similar request submitted by the Ohio Farm Bureau on November 23. In its request, OABA stated that extreme and unpredictable weather conditions, including a much wetter than normal spring that delayed planting and a wet fall, have compounded an already delayed 2011 crop harvest and could extend Ohio’s crop harvest into at least the first few weeks of December.
This posed a problem for Ohio farmers and agribusinesses, because under current hours of service rules, agricultural operation are only exempted from hours of service requirements during planting and harvesting seasons, which the state of Ohio defines as March 1 through November 30 of each year. Without the exemption, drivers would have been limited to working only 60 hours per week and only 12 hours per day.
OABA informed the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio that farmers, cooperatives and other agribusinesses needed an extension of the hours of service beyond November 30, 2011, to get their crop harvested and to market as quickly as possible.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio granted a 30-day extension of the exemption t...
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By: Dee Jepsen, Assistant Professor, Agricultural Safety Specialist
Recently the Department of Labor issued a proposed ruling to change the kinds of agricultural equipment and agricultural chores young people (under age 16) would be permitted to perform. Farm employers and agricultural businesses are encouraged to read more about the proposed changes and how these changes will affect youth working in agricultural settings.
To access the complete document, visit the US DOL website: http://webapps.dol.gov/FederalRegister/HtmlDisplay.aspx?DocId=25286&Month=9&Year=2011
These proposed changes will be the first update since 1970. They are designed to bring agricultural jobs in line with other guidelines required of employers in non-agricultural areas. NOTE: The proposed rules would continue to exempt children working on family farms. A summary of the changes include:
1) Regulatory changes to the Child Labor Laws for Agriculture.
• Tractors operated by 14 and 15-year old youth be equipped with approved Roll-Over Protective Structures (ROPS) and seatbelts; and that seatbelt use be mandated.
• Prohibit the use of tractors of any horse power, including small garden-tractors; whereby the training exemption will either be removed or changed to 90 hours of study.
• Require that student learners operating tractors & farm machinery on public roads have a valid state driver’s license.
• Prohibit use of electronic devices, including communicatio...
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By David Marrison, OSU Extension Educator
Are you an Employer who would like to upgrade the current skill level of your employee(s)? Would you like assistance in developing and upgrading the current skill level of your agricultural workers? If your employees meet certain eligibility requirements, you may wish to explore working with the Farm worker Training & Employment Services through PathStone Corporation.
PathStone Corporation is a private not for profit regional community development and human service organization which provides training services in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Vermont, and Puerto Rico.
Some of the services provided by PathStone include: #1) English as a Second Language; #2) Occupational Skills/and or Agriculture Upgrade Trainings and Certifications; #3) Skill Upgrading and Retraining; and #4) On- the- job training (OJT) where PathStone will subsidize up to 50% of the employee’s wages while training in a new position.
PathStone’s goal is to provide your farm/and or business with services that will save you money, while providing you with trained and skilled employees. And PathStone is able to provide these services to you the employer for free!!!
PathStone Corporation has 5 offices across Ohio in Liberty Center, Fremont, Tipp City, Painesville and Alliance.
To be eligible for the training program you must be a farm worker or the dependent/spouse of a farm worker who has worked 25 days or earned at least $800 in f...
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By: Julia Nolan Woodruff, Extension Educator
It’s a great time to think about employee motivation. Dark, rainy, muddy days make for long work days around the farm. As we all wait for the skies to clear and the sun to come back, it is natural to begin feeling frustrated, stressed out, and just down right negative. I would challenge farm managers to spend some time thinking about and implementing some new or revised management practices that will help improve employee motivation and encourage a more positive feeling throughout the farm and the family.
How do you know what motivates your employees to come to work every day? How do you continue to motivate employees for the long term? These are the two big questions you must find answers to, as the farm manager. In order to begin uncovering these answers, sit down with your employees and ask them what is important to them. This can be done by having a conversation or by providing a simple list and asking employees to rank the following items from most important to least important to them. The list might include:
Fair pay and benefits
Job security
Opportunity for advancement
Being a part of the team
Safe working conditions
Ability to make decisions
Appreciation of work done and effort given
Work that is interesting – challenging
Recognition for new ideas and successful implementation
Employee ranking of these items may surprise you. Use your employee rankings as a way to start a conversation about ...
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By: Julia Nolan Woodruff, Extension Educator, Erie County
Recently I attended the National Conference for Extension Risk Management Education in St. Louis and one of the keynote speakers was Professor Marianne Jennings from Arizona State University. Dr. Jennings discussed the topic of ethics and how it related to risk management. My first thought was ethics, really does that relate to risk management and farmers? We are all ethical people, right? It’s those guys running large corporations embezzling millions of dollars, using company credit cards for personal charges, manipulating reports and data, committing financial fraud and the list goes on. Do farmers really have to deal with these issues?
As you think about these statements a little more, you begin to realize that first thought about ‘those guys managing large corporations worth millions of dollars’ could actually describe a farmer. Today’s farmer may be managing a family farm, but it could be a business as large as some of the corporations we’ve read about lately with ethical issues. Just because it is a family business, it does not exempt it from ethical issues.
Another thought, ethics affect both large and small businesses. The big ethical blunders are well publicized because most times they involve millions of dollars or a major cover up of information affecting a lot of people, but that doesn’t mean that smaller businesses don’t have problems caused by unethical decisions.
Dr. Jennings ga...
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by Chris Bruynis, PhD, Assistant Professor & Extension Educator
Sometimes I have the opportunity to dialogue with people wanting to enter into the business of farming. This could be returning home to the farm and entering into some business arrangement with the existing business, starting a second career after having worked away from the farm for some time, or starting a retirement business. Regardless of when or why people are motivated to return to the business of farming there are some things they need to do to be successful in being their own boss.
Consider these tips from successful business owners who learned how to position a new business for success from the start.
Get educated- Get prepared by learning about your future business, whether it's through formal education such as college or technical training, or by reading and "being a sponge" for information related to your field. Learning is a constant that needs to occur for you to stay current on business strategies and tactics necessary for success.
Get experience- Thinking and acting like business owner while working for someone else can be another strategy and stepping stone to business ownership. The secret is to constantly think and evaluate what is happening in the business environment and the business reaction to those pressures… “Would you make the same decision as your employer?”
Get advice- Consider creating an advisory board that can review your strategies and financial information...
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by Dianne Shoemaker, Extension Educator, Dairy Management; shoemaker.3@osu.edu
Currently, Ohio’s minimum wage rate is $7.30 per hour. However, employers who gross under $267,000 annually, or have employees 14 or 15 years of age are only required to pay these employees at least the Federal Minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour.
Effective January 1, 2011, Ohio’s minimum wage increases to $7.40 per hour for employees not receiving tips. Employees of employers who gross less than $271,000 annually or who are 14 or 15 years old are subject to a minimum wage of $7.25 (tied to the federal minimum wage.)
If the Ohio and the Federal minimum wages are different, by law Ohio workers are entitled to the higher of the two minimum wage requirements.
by Francisco A. Espinoza, Ag & Hort Labor Education- Ohio State University Extension
(Some aspects of the FLC are provided here, while more specific detail can be found through sources cited at the end of this article.)
Many Ohio producers employ migrant labor to help with their agricultural enterprise but they also have diversified operations with grain, beans, corn, dairy, livestock, farm markets and maybe even ag tourism. Time IS money, and a helping hand managing migrant labor can be a wise investment, given factors of Hispanic language, culture and social frameworks. Very often, this role is filled through a Farm Labor Contractor (FLC) or crew leader.
Role of the Contractor
The traditional view of a farm labor contractor revolves around their ability to obtain labor for an employer, and then manage that labor on site. While the FLC helps identify, recruit and otherwise contract the necessary labor…and is therefore also referred to as recruiter, he (or she) may serve in other capacities. Some FLCs may recruit labor but only provide transportation to the employer/job site. Others may travel to Ohio apart from the labor but live amongst them in temporary labor housing during the season. An FLC may also supervise labor, keeping time/hours, directing the work assignments and serving as a go-between for the employer. Often, they manage the physical housing facilities and deal with the daily social issues of the workforce.
Two Farm Labor Contractor Examples
Contractor A is an older female, with past and present experience as a farmwor...
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by Francisco A. Espinoza /Ag & Hort Labor Education
The advisory message is that employers of immigrant/migrant labor would be wise to stay attentive to state and local developments in immigration-related law.
At the national level , there is policy on E-Verify, the 287(g) Program, the possible use of a fingerprint database developed by ICE to identify undocumented immigrants detained by local authorities, and the potential Leafy Green Marketing Agreement requiring "Best Practices" yet to be drafted. And don't forget the fluctuating H2A scene and unresolved Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
There is also an interstate consideration. Lack of definitive immigration solutions has left states to define their own measures and policies. The questions is, What is happening in other states that may affect my state, my operations? In 2006, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) reported that thirty-two states had enacted a total of eighty-four immigration-related laws, and the trend continues to this day:
State ...
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by Francisco A. Espinoza, Ag & Hort Labor Education
For almost a decade, Ag & Hort has participated in the FALCON interagency network's annual Pre-Season Ag Conference for producers, labor and agencies in agriculture. The Conference reviews programs and services for the coming season and seeks to identify and address industry issues. The Pre-Season provides a forum for expressing opinions, concerns and possible solutions toward a successful season for all. Perspective and context are essential to a positive approach. And the expression and understanding of the views of all stakeholders has served as a strong basis for discussion.
Priority Issues Held in Common by Both Producer and Labor:
(1) Availability or lack of sufficient labor; (2) Ohio crops and employment available to workers; (3) Proper form of documentation/amnesty of “legal” labor.
Worker Concerns, as Viewed/Reported by Producers:
(1) Workers in supply states need more information on available Ohio crops/work before they travel north; (2) Workers ...
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by Francisco A. Espinoza, Ag & Hort Labor Education
As a season develops, producers often wonder who will show up as a workforce, given the immigration situation, the weather and the very nature of migrating labor. This year, hard rains bogged down early planting, but crops have emerged and seem promising. Can harvests be far behind. And has the labor shown up.
But grower considerations for labor availability and recruitment should be planned and started early, rather than be left to fortune, chance and even immigration enforcement. Here are some factors to consider in attracting and hiring your Hispanic labor.
Wages & Work Conditions
- Production & profits are the bottom line for both employers & Hispanic workers.
- Decent wages & work conditions increase chances for positive recruitment results.
- Interstate Clearance Orders can clarify and set employment terms & conditions.
- During the season is no time for bargaining. Maintain ...
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by Chris Zoller, OSU Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources
As a high school student I worked on a hog farm operated by a good family who was well respected throughout the community. While in college I learned that my previous employer had fallen into a deep depression, neglected feeding the animals, and considered suicide as a way to cope with the low hog prices and high input costs. Fortunately, the situation was resolved and the family successfully overcame the situation.
The economic climate in the dairy industry today is much like the one this hog farmer experienced. Cases of suicide have been reported on some dairy farms across the country. A session on this very topic was one of the most highly attended at the recent Western Large Herd Dairy Conference. It is no surprise that dairy farm families are being negatively impacted by current market prices. Milk income is significantly lower while expenses have not dropped. This severe financial strain has caused elevated levels of stress for dairy farm families. With the financial ...
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by Francisco A. Espinoza, Ag & Hort Labor Education, Ohio State University Extension (espinoza.9@cfaes.osu.edu)
Delegation can be a useful and efficient management tool for employers dealing with the major aspects of their farm/business. A foreman or other mid-management staff can be trusted to work directly with labor, coordinate worksite activities and even lend a hand. Proper teamwork and division of labor can also make for a smooth-running operation. However, labor can have off-the-job issues and needs best “delegated” to outside organizations, and some management resources are also found off the farm. This is especially true for regulatory and compliance issues. No need to re-invent the wheel or specialize in everything yourself.
In Ohio, we have developed positive, collaborative relationships among employers, labor, organizations and agencies. Gathered under the same “umbrella”, we are all stakeholders dedicated to promoting and sustaining agriculture’s role in the state economy. The following are major management resources available to our employers, focusing on regulation and compliance:
ODJFS Farmworker Program...
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by Brian Roe, Professor, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University
Online job searching is becoming the norm for young job seekers in many professions. Posting your resume on Monster.com or one of the many industry-specific online job platforms is now a rite of passage rather than the exotic approach to employment it was merely a few years ago.
As with so many technological advancements, the agricultural sector is following suit. Consider the hog sector, for example, where pigcareers.com seeks to become this profession's on line employment clearing house (www.pigcareers.com). While its ambitions are only slowly being fulfilled (in early December, the site boasted only 18 job postings), it has the potential to be an important pork portal for those seeking to fill positions or to follow career opportunities in the hog sector. For a limited time, employers can advertise positions for free, though if the site takes off, employers will pay $250 for single job postings that stay listed until the job is filled.
More general agricultural employment sites also exist, ...
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Keith L. Smith, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Director, Ohio State University Extension TDD No. 800-589-8292 ( Ohio only) or 614-292-1868
