Organic Name Reactions for the students and aspirants of Chemistry12th.pptx
Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
1. Positive Practices in
www.attra.ncat.org
1-800-346-9140
Farm Labor Management
Keeping Your Employees Happy and Your Production Profitable
Photo credit: Rex Dufour
Photo credit:
Judith Redmond
Photo credit: Judith Redmond
Photo credit: Rex Dufour
COLUMBIA
FOUNDATION
2. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
Table of Contents
Photo credit: Judith Redmond
The positive practices identified in this handbook are arranged in order of importance from
the perspective of employees interviewed for CIRS research conducted in 2006.
These factsheets define the practices, offer suggestions and examples of how to implement
them, explain their benefits to the farm, and provide resources for more information.
Introduction: Creating a “Triple-Win” Situation for Farmers,
Employees and Agricultural Communities ......................................4
1. Respectful Treatment ......................................................................5
2. Fair Compensation .........................................................................6
3. Year-Round Employment ...............................................................7
4. Traditional Benefits .........................................................................8
Photo credit: Rex Dufour
5. Non-Traditional Benefits ................................................................9
6. Safe and Healthy Workplace .........................................................10
7. Direct Hiring and Recruitment ....................................................11
8. Team-Based Management Structures .............................................12
9. Open Communication and Decision-Making ...............................13
10. Opportunities for Professional Development
and Advancement .................................................................... 14
Adding Value to Your Products with Positive Labor Practices:
A Guide to New Market Opportunities .................................... 15
Further Agricultural Labor Management Resources ....................... 16
Photo credit: Judith Redmond
Photo credit: Judith Redmond
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
2
3. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
Keeping Your Employees Happy and Your Production Profitable
Do you want to improve working conditions on your The information is based on recent case-study research
farm but . . . conducted by the California Institute for Rural Stud-
. . . aren’t sure what’s most important to employees? ies, located in Davis, California. Interviews with
. . . don’t think you can afford to? farmers, farm managers and over 100 employees on 12
farms throughout California have demonstrated that
. . . don’t know where to start?
positive working conditions for farm employees can,
The 10 Positive Practices described in this handbook and often do, go hand-in-hand with healthy profits for
will provide you with specific ideas and strategies to: farm businesses.
• Improve employee satisfaction and retention
• Increase productivity while reducing costs For more information about this study or handbook,
• Improve access to markets seeking products from or for information about where to get technical
farms with fair labor practices assistance to help you make changes on your farm,
please contact:
This handbook highlights a broad range of positive
labor practices—including many that are no-cost or The California Institute for Rural Studies
low-cost—that can help to improve worker satisfaction info@cirsinc.org
and retention on your farm. Photo credit: Judith Redmond
About ATTRA—the National Sustainable Agriculture
Information Service
ATTRA offers hundreds of publications—many in Spanish—on
organic and sustainable agriculture topics including marketing, crop
production, processing, livestock, composting, ecological soil & pest
management, farm energy, and agroforestry.
All of these publications, including a list of all ATTRA materials, can be
downloaded free of charge at ATTRA’s website, www.attra.ncat.org.
Paper copies can be ordered by calling the toll-free telephone line,
800-346-9140; en español: 800-411-3222.
ATTRA is a project of the National Center for Appropriate Technology
(NCAT). To learn more about NCAT, see page 16.
About this Publication
This handbook is based upon “Best Labor Practices on 12 California
Farms: Toward a More Sustainable Food System” by R. Strochlic &
K. Hammerschlag, published in 2006 by the California Institute for
Rural Studies, www.cirsinc.org
Nine of the farms in the study are certified organic, two are mixed
conventional and organic, and one uses low-input sustainable
agriculture practices. Eight are family-run medium-sized opera-
tions, with fewer than 70 employees and annual revenues between
$600,000 and $2.5 million. Four are larger, with labor forces ranging
from 80 to 4,000 employees and revenues from $10 million upwards.
The publication of this handbook is made possible by the generous
support of the Columbia Foundation, the Western Center for Risk
Management Education (WCRME), and the Western Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education Program (WSARE).
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
3
4. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
Creating a “Triple-Win” Situation for Farmers, Employees
and Agricultural Communities Strategies for how to imple-
ment these practices fall into
How do growers benefit low-cost, medium-cost and high-
Photo credit: Judith Redmond
from the practices identified cost categories. You’ll notice how
many things you can do with
in this handbook? very little monetary investment!
1. Increased retention and reduced
training costs: One farmer, with Low-Cost Strategies
a retention rate of approximately Respectful treatment
90%, estimates annual savings Regular acknowledgement and
of approximately $20,000 to appreciation
$30,000 as a result of reduced Free food from the farm
training costs.
Personal loans
2. Reduced management costs: Ten Positive Farm Labor Policies and mechanisms for
Motivated and committed em- communication and
ployees require less supervision.
Management Practices information sharing
Farms with fewer foremen or Employees interviewed by CIRS in Clear grievance procedures
managers can save thousands of 2006 identified the workplace con- Flexible work schedules
dollars while increasing worker ditions they most value. This list is Safe and healthy work
satisfaction. arranged in those employees’ order environment
3. Improved product quality and of importance. Diversity of tasks
better prices: A skilled, knowl- Allow social services to conduct
1. Respectful Treatment
edgeable and committed work- on-farm outreach
force translates to higher quality 2. Fair Compensation Celebrations, team-building and
products. appreciation parties
3. Year-Round Employment
4. Reduced accidents and lower 4. Traditional Benefits Medium-Cost Strategies
workers’ compensation rates:
5. Non-Traditional Benefits Bonuses and profit-sharing
Reduced pesticide exposure on
sustainable and organic farms, Year-round employment
6. Safe and Healthy Workplace
a slower pace of work, diver- Paid time off
sity of tasks, and teamwork in 7. Direct Hiring & Recruitment Retirement plans
lifting heavy items can reduce 8. Team-Based Management Educational assistance
accidents, injuries, and workers’ Opportunities for training, skill
Structures
compensation costs. acquisition and professional
5. A more stable, knowledgeable, 9. Open Communication and advancement
and trustworthy workforce: Decision-Making
Employees who feel respected, High-Cost Strategies
10. Opportunities for
valued and trusted are more Higher wages
likely to work harder and feel Professional Development
Health insurance
committed to the success of the and Advancement
farm business.
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
4
5. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
1. Respectful Treatment
“Before, I worked with a contractor What are other farmers doing? Additional Information and Resources
and I was treated badly. Here there
One Northern California diversified • Ag Help Wanted (Chapters 4 & 6)
are policies. No one says anything in
farm has a “no-yell” policy. Supervi- by Rosenberg et al., 2002.
a mean way. They say ‘please.’ That
sors are not allowed to yell at anyone. www.aghelpwanted.org
means a lot. When you are happier
you work harder.” Farm-Level Benefits • Labor Management in Agriculture
(Chapters 9 & 12)
– Employee, Central California • Increased employee loyalty by G. Billikopf, 2003.
What does this mean? • Higher retention rates www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-
Respectful treatment encompasses • Higher productivity labor/7labor/001.htm
a broad range of issues including • Low cost to implement
positive communication styles, • Increased employee loyalty and
direct grower-worker communica- satisfaction
tions, a healthy work environment,
and decision-making structures
that recognize the contribution and “We come back here each year because
value of each employee. Many farm of the way people are treated,
employees cite respectful treatment
on par with or higher than wages in
even though the money is a little less.”
terms of importance. – Employee, California North Coast
How do I implement this practice?
Photo credit: Rex Dufour
• Create and enforce policies about
how employees are to be treated.
• Provide formal training for
supervisors and foremen about
respectful communication styles.
• Survey employees to find out what
their needs are, both personal and
professional.
• Provide employees with a degree
of freedom to take care of personal
and family needs.
• Check in with employees, inquire
about their personal lives, etc. Show
that you care about them as people.
• Show regular appreciation for your
employees. Celebrate birthdays,
successful completion of projects
or company goals. Even a simple
thank you and personal recognition
of a job well done goes a long way. It’s important to treat all employees with respect in every aspect of work.
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
5
6. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
2. Fair Compensation
“We work harder here because we
Photo credit: Judith Redmond
Farmworkers put their
know that if the farm does well, we bodies at risk every
do well. At the end of the year, there day . They deserve fair
are bonuses. In other places where I compensation for the
worked, they don’t have bonuses.” difficult and valuable
– Employee, Central Coast work they perform.
What does this mean?
Fair compensation rates a close
second to respectful treatment in
terms of what is most important to How do I implement this practice? What are other farmers doing?
farm employees. Farm businesses in • Ensure that your pay scales incor- One mid-sized diversified farm
California typically spend 40-70% of porate both external equity (how provides seasonal and permanent
costs on employees and wages. While it compares to wages offered on employees with approximately
most farmers would like to be able other farms) and internal equity $40,000 in profit sharing each year,
to offer their employees a wage that (how employees are paid within the equivalent of 25 to 50 cents per
provides for the needs of an average the business). hour. Profits are distributed twice per
family, this is not always possible. • Offer incentives at least once per year—during the harvest and
However, when all forms of com- year. Some farms provide bonuses at the end of the year—as a means
pensation and benefits are taken into on employees’ birthdays or as a of thanking and incentivizing
account—profit-sharing, bonuses, reward for staying through the employees.
health insurance, retirement plans, end of the harvest.
paid time off, housing assistance • Communicate clearly and consis- Farm-Level Benefits
and food from the farm—the total tently with employees about • Increased employee motivation
value of compensation can increase how profit-sharing and bonuses • Higher productivity
significantly. are calculated and how the farm • Profit-sharing is a risk manage-
is faring financially to avoid ment strategy for growers.
“We pay minimum wage and use adverse impacts on morale and
the bonus [profit-sharing] program satisfaction.
to supplement that. That enables Additional Information and Resources
us to protect ourselves in a bad year, • Account for cost-of-living • Employment Standards Admin-
since once you raise the minimum increases when making wage istration, Department of Labor
wage you can’t go back. It gives us adustments. (includes minimum wage stan-
more flexibility.” • Create consistent pay levels based dards, workers’ compensation info,
– Employer, Central Valley on skill and responsibility. Reward required posters, etc.)
initiative whenever possible. www.dol.gov/esa
• Ag Help Wanted (Chapter 5), by
Piece Rate vs. Hourly Wages Rosenberg et al., 2002.
While employees note that they can make more money per day www.aghelpwanted.org.
with piece rate, they also note that piece work is short-term and • Labor Management in Agriculture
generally followed by underemployment, so that total income (Ch. 7 & 8) by G. Billikopf, 2003.
under the two systems is comparable. Farmers note that www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-
hourly wages usually result in higher quality work and fewer labor/7labor/001.htm
accidents, although carefully designed piece-rate systems can
have advantages for both employers and employees.
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
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7. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
3. Year-Round Employment
“We provide year-round employ- What are other farmers doing? Additional Information and Resources
ment. That’s huge. It means that • ATTRA publication:
• A Ventura County, Calif., farm
our workers can live here with their “Season Extension Techniques
plants 40 crops on 30 acres, four
families. This is their community for Market Gardeners”
times a year, creating year-round
now. Families go to school here. Kids http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/
work for 10 to 12 people and sea-
learn English. They are part of the seasonext.html
sonal work for an additional 15.
community now.”
– Employer, Sacramento Valley • A vineyard contracts with a • Check with your local Ag Ex-
neighboring olive grove to provide tension office for ideas about
What does this mean? diversifying your crop mix.
employment during December
Farm employees identify year-round and January, when there is no
employment as one of the condi- • Publication from the
work at the vineyard.
tions they most value, after good University of California
wages and respectful treatment. Farm-Level Benefits Sustainable Agriculture
In addition to a steady income Research and Education
• Winter cropping schemes im- Program:
and job security, year-round work prove market retention
enables employees to maintain a “How to stabilize
stable family life, with benefits for • Increased revenue from added- your farm work force and
their children and communities. A value products increase profits, productivity,
permanent workforce is also good • Increased labor retention & personal satisfaction”
for business. With increasing labor www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/pubs/pubs.htm
shortages, growers have access to a
steady supply of labor. High reten-
tion rates keep recruitment and
Photo credit: Judith Redmond
training costs low, while year-round
production increases grower rev-
enue.
How do I implement this practice?
• Diversify crop mix to allow for
year-round production.
• Contract with neighboring
farms or other businesses to
provide employment for work-
ers when there is little work on
your farm.
• Hire field staff to help with
maintenance and repairs during
the winter.
• Include value-added products
that can be made and sold dur-
ing the winter. Drivers from a Yolo County farm visit a school in Oakland to talk about the farm’s Com-
munity Supported Agriculture program. The classroom teacher is on the left.
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
7
8. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
4. Traditional Benef its
“Housing has been a huge issue. by matching contributions (up to Farm-Level Benefits
It’s a commitment of ours to help 5% of wages) made by employees.
• Increased labor retention
folks find housing. When anything • Flexible scheduling: Allow em-
is available, we snap it up. We sign • Increased employee satisfaction
ployees to take time off to take
a lease. We make sure the rent gets and motivation
care of personal and family needs.
paid, even when there aren’t • Reduced workers’ compensation
workers there.” • Overtime pay: Provide overtime
rates: Some insurance companies
– Employer, Northern California after eight hours per day or 48
offer reduced rates if employees
hours per week.
have health insurance.
What does this mean? What are other farmers doing?
Traditional benefits include a broad Additional Information and Resources
• Growers in Napa County,
range of support mechanisms for • Ag Help Wanted: (Chapter 5),
Calif. have instituted a $10/acre
employees such as health insurance, Rosenberg et al., 2002.
self-assessment to help subsidize
retirement plans, paid time off, life www.aghelpwanted.org
farmworker housing.
insurance, and free or subsidized • Ventura County Ag Futures
housing. Farm employees rely on • The Ventura County Ag
Futures Alliance Agricultural Alliance, a coalition of growers
benefits to supplement what they & other community members,
earn by wages. Access to benefits Health Cooperative has been
working to promote improved has a number of publications
can greatly improve the health and describing their innovative efforts
well-being of farm employees and access to health care for farm
employees. Their health-care to improve worker access to
their families. health care and housing. “Ag
initiative includes (1) promoting
How do I implement this practice? the adoption of workplace well- Worker Health Access: A Com-
• Health Care: Provide some form ness policies and procedures, prehensive Local Solution,”
of health insurance to all workers. (2) health education, (3) improv- VCAF Alliance Policy Paper #6:
If costs are prohibitive, provide ing access to affordable health http://agfuturesalliance.org/ventura/
on-farm access to mobile clinics, insurance for employers, and ?c=Policy-Papers
health screening and education (4) on-site health services at farms. • To find a migrant clinic in your
programs, and referrals for local They promote increased access to area, search the website of the U.S.
low-cost health care resources. health insurance by seeking group Health Resources & Services Ad-
• Housing: Provide free or subsi- rates through the Western ministration (http://ask.hrsa.gov/pc)
dized housing for employees. If Growers Association “Clinicas or consult the Migrant Clinician
you can’t provide housing your- Plan,” which offers a low-cost Network’s directory of migrant
self, then help workers locate monthly premium ($20-$40) for health centers and primary care
local housing and negotiate rental farm employees and their families. associations:
agreements, or provide housing http://agfuturesalliance.org/ventura www.migrantclinician.org/health
stipends as a bonus. centers/healthcenterdirectory.php
Photo credit: Rex Dufour
• Paid time off: Offer paid vacation
to employees working until the
end of the year. Offer increasing It can be very helpful for employers—who
amounts of paid time off for long- have local connections and are familiar
term employees. with the regional housing market—to help
employees find housing and negotiate
• Retirement benefits: Encourage rental agreements.
employees to save for retirement
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
8
9. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
5. Non-Traditional Benef its
“You can bring all the food home • Offer scholarships to support Additional Information and Resources
that you want. We are eating a lot of employees’ children who attend Contact these national organiza-
vegetables. We all have more to eat.” college. tions to find resources in your
– Employee, • Provide referrals for social services community:
Central Coast, California or legal/immigration assistance. • Legal/Immigration Assistance—
American Immigrant Law
What does this mean? What are other farmers doing? Foundation:
• A grower in Fresno County offers www.ailf.org
Non-traditional benefits include a
each worker access to one acre of Immigrant Legal Resource Center:
broad range of innovative strate-
farmland that can be used for pro- www.ilrc.org
gies to help employees and their
ducing cash or subsistence crops. • Education—
families. Due to language barriers,
documentation status, and eco- National Association of State Di-
nomic constraints, farm employees • A farmer in Ventura County rectors of Migrant Education:
often don’t have access to, or don’t provides on-farm English classes for www.nasdme.org/index.html
know how to access, many of the employees in the evenings. National Migrant and Seasonal
public services and institutions that Head Start Association:
are available in our communities. Farm-Level Benefits www.nmshsa.org
Employers can help to connect • Increased labor retention
employees with valuable service pro- • Increased worker satisfaction and
viders, or at times, provide some of motivation
those services themselves.
Photo credit: Rex Dufour
How do I implement this practice?
• Encourage employees to take home
food from the farm on a regular
basis. Employees report improved
diets for themselves and their fami-
lies and significant cost savings.
• Provide no-interest personal loans
that employees can pay back
through payroll deductions or
retirement plans.
• Allow social service agencies to
conduct outreach on the farm.
Pay employees for the time spent
attending those sessions.
• Contribute to community projects
that support agricultural work-
ers such as childcare centers and
health clinics.
On-farm educational sessions can help employees understand how businesses operate or
• Provide education assistance for they can address some other common interest.
work-related courses.
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
9
10. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
6. Safe and Healthy Workplace
“The highest and most important agement to reduce worker expo- Additional Information and Resources
product of the farm is the workers’ sure to pesticides. • NIOSH (the National Institute
health, safety and happiness.” for Occupational Health and
– Employer, Central Valley, What are other farmers doing?
Safety) includes on their website
California A stone fruit farmer in the Central publications and training manu-
Valley of California lowered the als relating to agricultural worker
height of his trees to reduce em-
What does this mean? ployee falls from ladders. In addi-
health and safety:
In addition to complying with http://cdc.gov/niosh/topics/
tion to reducing accidents, it also agriculture/Social
OSHA (the federal Occupational increased production and decreased
Safety and Health Administration), harvest time, resulting in reduced • Simple Solutions: Ergonomics for
growers can institute practices that labor costs and increased revenues. Farmworkers, NIOSH publication
help protect the health of their
No. 2001-111:
employees. Farm-Level Benefits http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/01111pd.html
• Reduced accidents and injuries
How do I implement this practice? • Occupational Safety and Health
• Reduced workers’ compensation
• Diversify employee tasks through- costs. Some insurance companies Administration (OSHA):
out the day to prevent chronic offer discounted workers comp http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/agri
musculoskeletal injuries. See or crop insurance rates for grow- culturaloperations/index.html
“Simple Solutions” ergonomics ers using organic or sustainable • Western Center for Agricultural
publication for more ideas. practices. Health and Safety:
• Limit hand weeding or stoop labor • Healthier, more satisfied workforce http://agcenter.ucdavis.edu
to two hours a day.
• Encourage teamwork. For exam-
ple, ask employees to carry heavy “I like the fact that we always have help and support from
items with co-workers to reduce our compañeros, especially in helping us lift heavy boxes.
injuries.
On other farms it isn’t like that.”
• Make sure supervisors know to
provide prompt and adequate - Female employee, Central Valley, California
medical attention in the case of
serious injuries.
Photo credit: Rex Dufour
• In addition to legally required
trainings, reiterate safety messages
to employees on a regular basis, or
in monthly safety meetings, in or-
der to reduce accidents and work-
ers’ compensation costs. Make
sure safety trainings are culturally
appropriate, taking into account
the diversity of languages and
literacy skills among employees.
• Adopt sustainable farming prac-
tices such as Integrated Pest Man-
Monthly safety meetings reduce accidents and workers’ compensation costs.
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
10
11. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
7. Direct Hiring and Recruitment
“Workers contracted by farm labor • Invest time into finding the right • Farm Labor Contracting,
contractors (FLCs) have no loyalty person for the job to save time Agricultural Personnel Manage-
to the farm… A farmer using the and money later. Use a systematic ment Program (contains sample
FLC system can’t really be good process to determine who to hire, contracts for growers and FLCs):
to his workers either. He may pay including interviews, applications, http://are.berkeley.edu/APMP/pubs/
a better wage, but the FLC may performance tests, and reference flc/farmlabor.html
pocket that. The farmer also loses checks.
control over work practices. You can • Labor Management in Agricul-
have abuses going on, but you don’t What are other farmers doing? ture (Chapters 2 & 3), by G.
have to be responsible for them. It’s A farm in the Central Valley of Billikopf, 2003:
a good way for farmers to protect California negotiates above mini- www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/
themselves from liability, but it is mum wage rates for workers em- ag-labor/7labor/001.htm
negative in most regards.” ployed by FLCs, provides safety and
– Employer, Central Valley, Calif. quality training to FLC workers,
uses its own supervisors to ensure If you do use a farm labor contractor
What does this mean? high quality work and safe, respect- (FLC) . . .
Roughly 1/5 of agricultural labor in ful conditions, and requests the
the U.S. (and 1/3 in California) are same FLC crew each year. • Seek out FLCs with good
hired through Farm Labor Con- reputations. Check references.
tractors (FLCs). While FLCs can Farm-Level Benefits • Make sure the FLC is compli-
alleviate some of the challenges, li- • Increased employee loyalty ant with state labor laws and
abilities and costs of direct employ- • Higher quality work use a contract. See Resources
ment, growers who are interested in for templates.
providing positive labor conditions
for their employees have much less Additional Information and Resources • Provide training and oversight
of FLC workers.
control about how employees are • Ag Help Wanted (Chapter 3) by
treated and compensated. By prac- Rosenberg et al., 2002.
ticing direct hiring and recruitment, http://agecon.uwyo.edu/aglabor/
growers can have greater control FrameOnlineReferences.htm
over product quality.
Photo credit: Rex Dufour
How do I implement this practice?
• Recruit new employees via other
farmworkers; this way your em-
ployees may be related or from a
similar region. Employers report
that this results in a more cohe-
sive workforce with less interper-
sonal conflict.
• Prepare written job descriptions
for new positions. Recruitment,
hiring and management will go
more smoothly if everyone is clear
about the duties the employee will Interviews are important in order to understand the experience and knowledge base of
be responsible for. prospective employees. Performance tests are another way to ensure that employees
have the skills you’re looking for.
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
11
12. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
8. Team-Based Management Structures
“We have leaders with a lot of ated. Formal performance ap- Additional Information and Resources
responsibility, but we don’t call them praisals should give employees a
foremen or mayordomos. We make • Ag Help Wanted (Chapter 4) by
chance to evaluate themselves,
sure their authority is limited…We Rosenberg et al., 2002:
their successes, and areas for im
encourage team management.We http://agecon.uwyo.edu/aglabor/
provement.
look for people who don’t want to FrameOnlineReferences.htm
be authoritarian, who can organize • Resolve conflicts promptly using
• Labor Management in Agriculture
people, foster cooperative work, and a mediational, rather than au-
(Ch. 9) by G. Billikopf, 2003:
minimize conflict. We try to cooper- thoritarian, approach.
www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/
ate, not dominate.” ag-labor/7labor/001.htm
Farm-Level Benefits
- Employer, Central California
• Reduced supervision costs • Party-Directed Mediation: Help-
What does this mean? • Increased employee investment ing Others Resolve Differences,
and commitment to the farm by G.t Billikopf, 2004:
Many growers have found that a www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-
democratic, team-based approach • Higher quality work labor/7conflict
to management and supervision can
successfully motivate employees and
result in significant cost savings. “They (the management) trust us. They don’t stand over us all
the time. They tell us what is needed and we do it. They’ve seen
How do I implement this practice? that as they trust us more, there is improvement in production,
• Instead of foremen, utilize team in both quality and quantity.”
leaders to help provide guidance – Farm Employee
and motivation while working
alongside other employees.
Photo credit: Rex Dufour
• Practice the MBWA management
style – “management by walking
around.”
• Communicate directly with
employees on a daily basis. If pos-
sible, learn to speak with them in
their own language.
• Encourage collaboration between
employees, allowing workers to
help one another and train new
employees.
• Define specific roles for each
employee and let them know how
their performance will be evalu-
Employees can teach each other how the business works. In the process, everyone learns
leadership, responsibility and cooperation.
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
12
13. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
9. Open Communication and Decision Making
“Here we have meetings and the handbooks. Make sure they are • Reduced incidence of employee
patrón informs us about what is translated. dissatisfaction
happening on the farm. He takes us • Conduct employee surveys to
into account. He asks our opinion Additional Information and Resources
identify worker concerns and
about things.” Easily create an employee hand-
obtain direct feedback about
- Employee, Central Coast, Calif. book using any of these resources:
work-related issues.
• The USDA Forest Service Em-
What does this mean?
What are other farmers doing? ployee Handbook Template:
There are a range of practices that www.na.fs.fed.us/wihispanic/De-
foster good communication be- A vineyard holds an annual meet-
ing for its business partners, inves- fault.htm
tween employers and employees.
Some, such as safety meetings, em- tors and employees. All permanent • Labor Management in Agricul-
ployee orientations and employee and seasonal employees are paid to ture (Chapter 17) by G. Bil-
handbooks, are focused on commu- attend the meeting, and a Spanish likopf, 2003:
nicating information and expec- interpreter is provided. www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-
tations. Others, such as regular labor/7labor/001.htm
meetings and grievance procedures,
Farm-Level Benefits
• Ag Help Wanted, by Rosenberg
provide opportunities for worker • Valuable input and information et. al., 2002. See Chapter 6 for
representation and participation in from employees to strengthen links to employee handbook
decision-making processes. the farm operation software and templates:
• Increased sense of employee http://agecon.uwyo.edu/aglabor/
How do I implement this practice? loyalty and investment in FrameBookContents.htm
• Hold regular staff meetings the farm
with employees to discuss im-
portant topics such as produc-
Photo credit: Rex Dufour
tion tasks, personnel conflicts,
or safety concerns.
• Encourage employee feedback
and ideas about workplace
practices and production issues.
• Provide formal orientations for
new employees about benefits,
job expectations, and workplace
policies. Update all employees
regularly about changes to ben-
efits or compensation packages.
• Institute formal grievance pro-
cedures, making sure employees
know they can freely approach
team leaders or higher manage-
ment with problems.
• Codify workplace policies and
Regular staff meetings with employees provide a place to discuss production tasks,
practices in written employee personnel conflicts, and safety concerns.
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
13
14. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
10. Opportunities for Professional Development
and Advancement
“Here they give lots of opportuni- • Encourage attendance at local would enable them to perform
ties for advancement. I started as a trainings and conferences, many more highly skilled tasks such as
harvester and now I run machinery. of which have Spanish-language equipment handling or pesticide
They help you get the training and tracks. safety training.
licenses to operate machinery. I • Provide supervisory manage- • Provide opportunities for formal
have more motivation now. I want ment training to workers who are educational advancement at local
to keep moving up.” promoted to supervisory roles. Be community colleges.
– Employee, Central Valley Farm sensitive to conflicts of interest
that may arise when workers are
responsible for managing friends
Farm-level Benefits
What does this mean?
and family members. • Increased retention of motivated
Many employees express apprecia- • Provide opportunities for employ- and talented employees.
tion for opportunities to broaden ees to gain legal certifications that
their skills or advance into different • Skilled and trained employees
positions on the farm. Diversified ensure higher product quality.
cropping systems lead to a greater
variety of tasks for workers, who en-
joy learning about different aspects Additional Information and Resources
of the farm operation. Growers can
provide formal and informal op- • Labor Management in Agriculture
portunities for employees to gain (Ch. 4 & 5), G. Billikopf, 2003.
new technical or managerial skills www.cnr.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-
through on-the-job training, formal labor/7labor/001.htm
education, or attendance at confer- • Contact your local agricultural
ences and workshops. commissioner office to find out
about certification trainings.
How do I implement this practice? • Contact your local cooperative
extension for information about
• Encourage & reward employee upcoming agricultural conferenc-
initiative to develop skills and take es and workshops in your area.
on new responsibilities.
• Create a transparent system of
pay raises that rewards workers for
each season they complete (steps)
and clearly defined higher levels
of responsibility (grades).
• Expose employees to different
aspects of the farm operation.
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
14
15. Positive Practices in Farm Labor Management
Adding Value to Your Products with Positive Labor Practices
A Guide to New Market Opportunities
Improving compensation and benefits for your agricultur- trend by setting standards throughout their supply chains
al employees can be economically challenging. However, that incorporate fair farm labor practices. Producers are
new market-based opportunities are emerging that may differentiating themselves by advertising their responsi-
help you offset the costs associated with improving work- ble labor practices either directly to consumers or through
ing conditions for your employees. certification and labeling programs.
Many consumers today are looking to buy products from Below are several examples of U.S.-based programs that
businesses that demonstrate social responsibility. Food support and/or certify growers who cultivate positive
retailers and restaurant chains have responded to this labor management practices.
Food Alliance social responsibility standards, a Lodi Rules
www.foodalliance.org/ Fair Labor Practices and Commu- www.lodiwine.com/lodirules_home1.
nity Benefits label, and the Veriflora shtml
Food Alliance is a nonprofit, third- label for the floral industry.
party certification program that The Lodi Rules are sustainable
promotes sustainable agriculture. winegrowing standards that are be-
The Agricultural Justice Project (AJP) ing implemented on a regionwide
www.cata-farmworkers.org/ajp basis. The Rules originated in 2001
National Sustainable Agriculture
Standard (DRAFT) The AJP is a collaboration of orga- with grower-members of the Lodi-
nizations that has developed a set of Woodbridge Winegrape Commis-
www.leonardoacademy.org/Projects/
social justice standards for organic sion. Participating growers can get
SustainAgStdDevelopment.htm
and sustainable agriculture. In the their vineyards certified as produc-
Formal proceedings to establish the summer of 2006, AJP and the Local ing sustainably grown wine grapes.
first national standard for sustain- Fair Trade Network in Minneapolis The program is certified by a third
able agriculture were launched in launched a Domestic Fair Trade party—the nonprofit organization
October 2007. Stakeholders are label based on the AJP standards. Protected Harvest.
invited to shape the standard in a
collaborative process governed by
the American National Standards Socially Accountable Farm California Sustainable Winegrowing
Institute (ANSI). Employers (SAFE) Alliance (CSWA)
www.safeagemployer.org www.sustainablewinegrowing.org
Scientific Certification Systems SAFE is a nonprofit organization The CSWA has an online Code
that provides independent auditing of Sustainable Winegrowing Prac-
www.scscertified.com
and certification of fair, lawful farm tices workbook that translates
SCS is a third-party provider of cer- labor practices in the agriculture sustainability principles into specific
tification services offering numerous industry. winegrowing and winemaking prac-
certification programs including tices, including labor management
and community responsibility.
California Institute for Rural Studies — www.cirsinc.org ◊ National Center for Appropriate Technology — www.ncat.org
15