Labor
Jolene Brown to keynote farm marketing program at 2015 Great Lakes EXPO
Jolene Brown will make the keynote presentation for the farm marketing program at the 2015 Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO, to be held Dec. 8-10 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.Brown is a farmer,... more »
Rules govern union access to farms for ‘heat sweeps’
The United Farm Workers labor union has recently engaged in a flurry of activity. UFW public communications call these actions "heat sweeps during harvest," meaning they may continue throughout the summer and fall. Key to... more »
BREAKING: Washington court rules on farm labor piece-rate pay
On Thursday, the Supreme Court for the state of Washington ruled that farm workers who are paid a piece rate must also be compensated for rest breaks.The court made the decision unanimously.What does this mean... more »
Sakata Seed develops Infinite Gold melon
Sakata Seed America unveiled a new variety of cantaloupe called Infinite Gold. Bred through traditional breeding practices, Infinite Gold LSL (Long Shelf Life) melon offers long shelf life, high-yield potential and infinite flavor, according to... more »
Food safety posters developed for pick-your-own farms
Keeping food safety on the minds of direct-market farm customers – as well as workers – can often be a simple matter of communication.North Carolina State University's (NCSU) Plants for Human Health Institute recently published... more »
Plastic mulch machine can cut labor costs in half
At a Florida berry farm, it costs about $200 per acre in man-hours to remove plastic mulch and drip tape at the end of the season. By using a machine that can simultaneously lift and... more »
Computer glitches fixed; farm workers arrive from Mexico
A few weeks ago, we reported on a labor crisis that was crippling agriculture in Washington state.According to previous reports, H-2A workers were stranded at the American-Mexican border due to computer glitches. It appears that... more »
Buyer beware: Farm labor contracts require scrutiny
Craig Anderson had some pointed advice for asparagus growers who were contemplating the use of farm labor contractors this spring to help fill gaps in their shrinking employment pool."We know a lot of them say,... more »
