Workforce recruiters are having a hard time placing workers in rural America. On the service side, they say jobs are plentiful, but applications are few and far between.
“They think it’s an unglamorous job, possibly. They want to be more involved in a sales role or management, but like anywhere else, I think the place to be in employment right now is in service, whether it’s the retail agronomy, whether it’s starting as a technician at an implement dealership, if you have the training and skills, you can advance quickly in that industry or outside of Ag, like electricians, those types of things, are also service repair work where we’re always going to need them,” said Tammy Jensen, president of AgriCareers Inc.
Jensen encourages young farmers to stick with it and to always be willing to do more. Right now, the average age of the U.S. farmer is around 60 years old.
As cattle producers continue to navigate labor constraints and rising production demands, innovation in handling systems will remain a key driver of the industry’s long-term efficiency and safety goals.
Steven McBee Jr. of McBee Farm & Cattle Company joins us to discuss the family farm crisis, producer mental health, cattle industry challenges, farmland preservation, and the role of agriculture in popular media.
Oklahoma State University extension specialist Todd Hubbs joins us for an update on wheat harvest conditions in his state and the key factors shaping marketing decisions.
Laura Priest with the Center for Rural Affairs joins us to discuss solar development trends and opportunities for agriculture and renewable energy production to coexist.
Kansas farmer and friend of RFD-TV John Jenkinson joins us to discuss wheat crop conditions, regional variability, producer financial concerns, and the outlook for the growing season across Kansas.
South Texas ranchers and vets warn that labor pressures will make monitoring for New World screwworm difficult across large cattle operations.