Labor Remains A Challenge For Idaho’s Farming Community

Ag labor, or the lack of it, has been a struggle and will continue to be a challenge for the foreseeable future for farmers across the Northwest, and the nation.

Chanel Tewalt, Director of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, notes the Gem State’s dairy sector is a perfect example. She pointed out that cows need to be milked every day of the year, regardless of the weather or the holiday. And that need is even more difficult to address since the dairy industry isn’t able to access a visa program, like H-2A.

“Again, for an industry that is year-round, there isn't the same seasonality or break to it as in some other industries, not that folks aren't working all year long, but there is variability in a crop production year," Tewalt said. "There isn't as much in dairies.”

Many Jobs Must Still Be Done By Hand

She also stressed, despite social media claims to the contrary, ag labor shortages are still an issue and will remain one for the foreseeable future. Tewalt said the disconnect between the public and what’s happening on today’s farm is shocking.

“People assume that because farmers have tractors, that there isn't as much labor needed on farm as there used to be," said Tewalt. "And certainly there have been labor innovations that have helped tremendously, but you still need folks to move water every day. Irrigation has to be moved and crops need to be watered or things don't grow in the desert. And I think folks forget that just happens magically. And you need people to do that. You need people picking fruit. You need people milking cows. Certainly tractors help with harvest and with planting and things like that. But there are so many aspects of running a farm where you need bodies helping you. And I shocked at how much social media is out there, assuming that people aren't needed anymore.”

By the way, Tewalt noted that Idaho uses more acre feet of irrigation water than any other state in the country, with one exception, California.