The dependence of U.S. dairies on foreign labor is growing significantly. According to a survey published in 2014 by the National Milk Producers Federation, 51.2% of the 150,418 dairy employees were immigrants, and dairies that employ immigrant labor produced 79% of the U.S. milk supply. A similar survey published by National Milk in 2009 showed 62% of milk was produced by farms employing immigrant labor.
Researchers from Michigan State University evaluated potential barriers to employee management in dairy farms. The study included management teams of 12 dairies located in Michigan (size between 185 and 3,400 cows) and 75 English- and Spanish-speaking workers. The findings, published in the Journal of Dairy Science, showed Spanish-speaking workers were less aware of the dairy performance goals, and they received less attention from managers and owners than English-speaking workers.
For example, when employees were asked “Do you know the somatic cell count goals for this dairy farm?” the proportion of employees who correctly stated the SCC goals for each farm was greater in English-speaking (87%) than in Spanish-speaking employees (41%). Moreover, when workers were asked, “Who trains new employees how to milk cows?” 42% of English-speaking workers said they learned the milking protocols from managers or owners, while only 14% of Hispanic workers received training from managers or owners. Most (86%) were learning from other employees or they just “learned on the job.”
Interestingly, when the dairy owners and managers were asked the same question, 11 of the 12 management teams responded that they perform the training.
Continue reading this article published in Milk.
