In the fairy tale, the little red hen asks for help in baking bread, but no one will help her. Something similar has been occurring in American agriculture for some time. Consumers are eager to eat the food, but few want to help in the production of it. The term “farm laborer” conjures up images of unskilled, poorly educated and underpaid workers. As a result, there is a serious shortage of farm labor that is only getting worse.

Many rural areas in the Midwest have serious unemployment problems. Headlines that announce another factory is closing putting hundreds or thousands of people out of work are all too common. Once the economic mainstay of small towns and rural communities, manufacturing is now leaving the Midwest. It is being replaced by the service industry.

In reality, this means that, after you get laid off from the auto plant or paper mill in town, you go to work at the Wal-Mart store out by the interstate. This has led to the economic decline of many rural communities. At the same time, farmers in these same areas are struggling to find enough seasonal and permanent labor to run their operations, because few people want to do farm work.

Farm labor has become synonymous with migrant labor. The government estimates there are about 3 million migrant farmworkers in the US. Most are seasonal workers who harvest a variety of sensitive and perishable crops.

The current controversy over undocumented workers and a host of new restrictive immigration laws have reduced the migrant labor force considerably. In some areas, millions of dollars in crops were left to rot in the field because there was no one to harvest them.
The President has called for a Guest Worker program, but Congress has yet to take any action.

But the most serious farm labor shortage is just beginning; it is a shortage of skilled and specialized farm labor. The kind of employees needed on many modern farming operations need more brain than brawn. Employees with computer, veterinary and agronomic skills are in demand.

As livestock and crop production have become more technologically sophisticated, so have the skills needed by the men and woman who work on the farm. In addition, the kinds of support services needed have also changed. Visit the parts department of a John Deere dealer and you will see as much software and GPS equipment as you will see hoses and bearings.

As ethanol and biodiesel plants begin to locate in rural communities, they will need a workforce with a very specialized set of skills. Counties who want to benefit from this new agricultural economy must have the workforce to support this new industry.

Toward that goal, a special conference will be held this week to examine the needs of the 21st century agricultural economy.

Cultivating the New Economy will be held on April 5 at the Horizon Convention Center in Muncie, Ind. The event will bring together state and national leaders to discuss what needs agriculture will have in the 21st century and how individuals and communities can prepare.

One of the first ways to prepare is to get over an outdated view of farm labor. The workforce of the rural community will need to possess certain skills and abilities. You can find out what those are at this meeting. Local officials may also want to attend this meeting to learn what opportunities modern agriculture can bring to their counties.

My company is helping to sponsor this conference because I believe agriculture is, and can continue to be a major economic force in rural America, but only if rural American is ready to take advantage of this opportunity. For more information on the conference, visit www.hoosieragtoday.com

The views and opinons expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Gary Truitt may write to him in care of this publication.