Growers are feeling the pinch of finding skilled labor

Ag labor is still a concern for many producers across the United States, including a Kansas farmer who says he is struggling to replace his aging workplace.

Jim Sipes tells Brownfield Ag News that the labor market is still very tight and his operation is having a hard time staying competitive. While he has been able to maintain his workforce so far, some are close to retirement.

He says it is the toughest labor market he has ever seen and it is becoming increasingly harder to competitively pay his employees.

A Michigan asparagus grower is feeling the pinch, too, saying rising costs of H-2A labor are putting his operation and the U.S. ag sector at a disadvantage.