Peer-to-Peer Labor Management Training for Diversified Organic Vegetable Producers

View the project final report

Commodities

Practices

• Education and Training: farmer to farmer, technical assistance
• Farm Business Management: labor/employment
• Production Systems: organic agriculture

Summary. Hired labor has become an integral part of the diversified vegetable industry, and producers increasingly draw connections between their ability to attract and retain qualified employees and the long-term sustainability of their farms. However, many feel they lack the labor management and human resources skills necessary to become excellent employers and have therefore expressed their interest in and need for this training and support. This project has focused on addressing farmers’ complex labor management needs by working with farmers and other stakeholders to create a peer-to-peer education and training program that reflects and meets these needs. As more prepared and confident employee managers, farmers are better positioned to attract and retain skilled workers – which may in turn have positive impacts on their financial viability and their overall quality of life. Farm employees also stand to benefit as farmers establish systems and policies that promote and maintain a professionalized labor experience and a healthy workplace culture.

Research Approach. In order to achieve these outcomes, the project team collaborated with a five-member Farmer Core Team (FCT) to develop a peer-to-peer labor management training program. This Becoming the Employer of Choice (BTEC) framework provided foundational knowledge, highlighted pre-existing labor management resources, and incorporated farm-level tools and practices that FCT members vetted on their own farms. A series of remote and in-person meetings facilitated this work, with the program being finalized in early 2022. Project partners and FCT members co-delivered BTEC trainings in early 2022 and early 2023.

Research Conclusions.

1. Integrating peer-to-peer learning is not just effective – it’s a training approach that farmers greatly value and it lends credibility to programming.
2. Providing ongoing opportunities for peer support and connection following the completion of formal training delivery by hosting monthly gatherings has helped to reinforce BTEC content while also creating a lasting community of support.
3. Current and aspiring hired farm managers are also eager for labor management training and support – and farm employers want to connect employees with these resources as a means of supporting career advancement and labor stability. (This fed into the creation of a parallel training program called Training and Education for Aspiring Managers.)

Adopted Farmer Actions.

1.  In 2021, FCT members implemented an average of 3 new labor management practices on their farms. In 2022, that number increased to an average of 4.3 new practices.
2.  BTEC training participants surveyed in late 2022 reported implementing an average of 4.6 new labor management practices since attending BTEC.

Feedback related to the BTEC training program has suggested that the practical content paired with peer-to-peer connection and ongoing support has created a program that farmers value and recommend to their peers. One participant shared, "BTEC is what you need to help you get ready for the next growing season. And for us, committing to the entire series was so valuable for our farm. Not only did we have the benefit of going through this experience with a cohort, but we learned so much from other farmers and what they brought to each session. Co-managers or spouses who farm together would benefit double-fold in doing this course together because it helps you clarify and navigate managerial styles and make meaningful changes to your farm systems.” Meanwhile, another participant emphasized the impact BTEC has had on their ability to support their employees. “Nothing replaces the value of managing your crew well during the season - making sure you're taking care of them, supporting them, listening to them. You can't just leave that work to the end of the season and expect people to come back. BTEC has been such a transformational tool for me as a farmer and an employer. It's helped me keep this work front and center even as the season gets super busy.”

This project had two primary objectives:

1) To strengthen diversified organic vegetable farmers’ employee management skills.

2) To improve diversified organic vegetable farmers’ ability to attract, train, and retain employees.

Learning outcomes: We anticipated that diversified organic vegetable producers who served on the Farmer Core Team (FCT) or who attended the Becoming the Employer of Choice (BTEC) training program would increase their awareness and understanding of labor management principles, best practices, and related tools. In turn, we assumed this foundational knowledge would assist them in strengthening their labor management skills and bolstering the sense of confidence and preparedness they bring to their roles as employee managers. Our program evaluation data suggests that overall, these outcomes came to fruition. Moving into this work, I also expected my own awareness to deepen, especially in relation to understanding farmers’ complex labor management needs and the value of addressing this through a peer-to-peer approach. I have learned so much from the farmers I’ve worked with through this project, and that learning has fed into the creation of a number of additional resources aimed at supporting farmers in the labor management space.

Action outcomes: As be began this work, we assumed that farmers who served on the FCT and who participated in BTEC would increase their application of labor management practices and tools on their farms, and that in so doing, they’d feel more and more empowered to take an intentional and strategic—and perhaps creative—approach to this work. We forecasted that these farmers would apply between 1 to 5 new practices or tools on their farms – which was confirmed through our evaluation data. By participating in the broader community of practice following formal BTEC delivery, we aimed to help producers continue to build upon their labor-related successes with the understanding that this might help them maintain forward momentum.