FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Bill Horan hopes to use part of his educational session at the Fort Wayne Farm Show to offer tips to both job-seekers and potential employers. Austin Pearson wants attendees of his seminar to learn where they can turn to for more information about climate and weather.

Horan and Pearson will be two of several speakers during the show, Jan. 14-16, at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne. Horan is Purdue University’s Wells County extension director. Pearson is a climatologist with the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) and the Indiana State Climate Office.

Horan’s presentation on the 16th will be in conjunction with a show-wide job fair in which companies that are hiring will display yellow stars on their booths.

“(The tips for the ag job search) program is geared more toward the first-time job applicant who is looking for employment in the ag sector,” Horan explained. “We are working with other exhibitors at the farm show to encourage them to post ‘we are hiring’ signs at their booths, so this program will be a complement to their efforts in finding good employees.

“While our main focus will be on-farm employment, I think the information we will share could be helpful in other agribusiness jobs as well, such as seed, chemical, and equipment sales and service providers.”

Horan said the session will cover a lot of ground, including job searching tips and how to prepare for an interview. “Job interview ‘do’s and don’ts’ are always a fun topic to talk about and share stories,” he noted.

The session will address such questions as “how do you find jobs?” and “where can we find workers?” Horan said. He said the answers aren’t as simple as one might hope, and require research, footwork and knowing how and where to get the word out.

Horan said there are many different careers available in agriculture.

“The ag sector, from production farms to retail stores, and all the parts that link them together, is vast,” he said. “Just look at the variety of exhibitors at the farm show – there is something there for everyone, depending on their interest.”

The ag job market is similar to many other sectors right now, Horan said. Finding dependable employees can be a challenge, and paying them enough to keep them is equally difficult, he said. Job seekers are concerned about working conditions, including hours, lengths of days, and benefits, Horan pointed out.

“I think fringe benefits and bonuses are always part of the discussion with jobs now,” Horan said. “For farm jobs, including workers in some decision-making and having a lot of team activities helps to build loyalty and a family-like atmosphere. That can be good in some situations, but it is not for everyone.”

Climate and ag

Pearson’s session, Climate Impacts on Ag, will be Jan. 14.

He said the MRCC and the state climate office provide such services as written climate summaries, maps, newsletters and customized data requests. The state climate office, however, offers primarily Indiana-specific information.

MRCC, located at Purdue University, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Centers for Environmental Information, provides climate services to stakeholders across the Midwest and nationwide, he said.

“Our website (https://mrcc.purdue.edu) allows users to explore climate data and utilize various climate data tools to make informed decisions,” Pearson explained. “For example, the 2019 growing season posed significant challenges due to consistent rainfall that hindered many producers from planting. Corn growers could use the Corn Growing Degree Day (GDD) tool to assess whether their crops would reach maturity before the risk of freeze events returned in the fall. During my time in Extension, I collaborated with producers to navigate the tool, ultimately assisting them in reducing hybrid maturities.”

He said weather conditions during the growing season can vary significantly yearly, making each season unique and presenting its challenges. Some patterns have emerged consistently, Pearson added.

“For instance, wet springs often lead to reduced planting windows, a trend expected to continue,” he said. “Additionally, the rapid onset of drought has become a common occurrence in early summer and fall in recent years, and this pattern is likely to persist for the foreseeable future. Climate data indicate that the average last date of a freeze event has gotten earlier in the year, while the average first date of a freeze has occurred later.

“This suggests that the growing season has expanded in many locations, a trend expected to continue. However, freeze events can catch us off guard and ultimately lead to replanting decisions in the spring.”

Pearson said he recommends planning, noting farmers will face challenges each year. He suggested building a farm’s resilience to the variability of these yearly challenges.

“Producers are generally focused on understanding the causes of specific weather events during the growing season, as well as on forecasts for the upcoming season,” Pearson said. “Many producers need to be aware of our existence, which often leads them to our site for more information. I hope the (farm show) audience gains insight into the MRCC and Indiana State Climate Office’s ongoing efforts to improve the weather data’s usability, enabling them to make informed decisions throughout all phases of their operations.”