Spudman April 2023 - 16

Spudman survey highlights
labor needs for potato growers
By Chris Koger
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
W
hen it comes to farm labor
needs, potato growers are in
a fortunate position. While
growers of other vegetables and fruit
see the most labor-intensive work at
harvest, potatoes are one of the most
mechanized commodities, even for
fresh-market product.
But as migrant workers have become
less available in recent years, the
ability of potato grower-shippers to
fill positions on the packing lines, in
warehouses and in other areas has
shifted. As with other commodities, the
growing number of H-2A temporary
visa workers in the potato industry
serves as a leading indicator of how
labor needs are rising.
" The potato industry uses a
substantial and growing amount of
H-2A workers, as well as a regular
workforce, " said Kam Quarles, CEO
of the National Potato Council. " I
think we're certainly seeing impacts.
I don't know if I would go so far as to
say that, specifically because of the
inaccessibility of labor, that you've
got substantial amounts of potato
production going unharvested. But
there's no doubt it's having an impact
on our industry, and it's causing a
great deal of stress. "
16
Spudman * April 2023
In 2019 the Spudman Ag Labor
Survey noted 22% of respondents
used H-2A workers; that number grew
to 36% in the 2023 survey. This year,
participants who said they did or didn't
have enough labor was evenly split at
50-50; four years ago, almost 60% said
they did not. The drop is an indication
respondents are using the H-2A
program to secure workers.
Survey respondents noted challenges
including: the rising hourly wage
mandate; lack of flexible arrival/
return dates to the workers' home
countries; paperwork; and housing and
transportation requirement.
Survey respondents have a variety of
plans for labor this year, including:
* Hire interns.
* Continue using H-2A, and expand
if necessary.
* Increase mechanization.
* Increasing wages.
* Find undocumented workers.
* Cut acreage.
* Use farm labor contractors.
H-2A doesn't respond to the
immediate needs of the marketplace,
Quarles said.
" It asks growers to irrationally
forecast their labor needs months
in advance, when you simply don't
know what Mother Nature is going
to throw at you, " he said. " And then
National Average
H-2A Wages
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
$16.13
$15.56
$14.62
$13.99
$13.25
$12.47
$12.20
$11.74
$11.29
$11.10
$10.80
$10.36
Source: History of the AEWR
it also operates with a mandatory
elevated minimum wage that the
federal government sets every single

Spudman April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spudman April 2023

Spudman April 2023 - 1
Spudman April 2023 - 1A
Spudman April 2023 - 2A
Spudman April 2023 - 2
Spudman April 2023 - 3
Spudman April 2023 - 4
Spudman April 2023 - 5
Spudman April 2023 - 6
Spudman April 2023 - 7
Spudman April 2023 - 8
Spudman April 2023 - 9
Spudman April 2023 - 10
Spudman April 2023 - 11
Spudman April 2023 - 12
Spudman April 2023 - 13
Spudman April 2023 - 14
Spudman April 2023 - 15
Spudman April 2023 - 16
Spudman April 2023 - 17
Spudman April 2023 - 18
Spudman April 2023 - 19
Spudman April 2023 - 20
Spudman April 2023 - 21
Spudman April 2023 - 22
Spudman April 2023 - 23
Spudman April 2023 - 24
Spudman April 2023 - 25
Spudman April 2023 - 26
Spudman April 2023 - 27
Spudman April 2023 - 28
Spudman April 2023 - 29
Spudman April 2023 - 30
Spudman April 2023 - 31
Spudman April 2023 - 32
Spudman April 2023 - 33
Spudman April 2023 - 34
Spudman April 2023 - 35
Spudman April 2023 - 36
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-september-october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/basf-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2019
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com