Labor Survey Shows Farm Worker Loyalty, Commitment
A U.S. Department of Labor survey workers on U.S. farms are quite loyal to their employers, and like their bosses.
The National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS) for Fiscal Years 2017-2018 was released in August 2021. The report is based on a survey conducted every two years. The current document carries a publication date of March 2021, although it was not made available to the public until approximately six months after that date.
In-person interviews are the basis of the report; each worker is paid $20 for completing the survey. In the current report, 2,586 workers were interviewed. All of the interviewees were crop workers. While their experiences do not exactly match those of dairy/livestock workers, the results indicated a number of interesting perspectives that likely could stretch across all agricultural sectors.
Among them: the average length of employment with the same farm was about eight years, and 80% of the workers interviewed said they expected to continue working on the same farm for more than five years, or as long as possible. Turnover was slight, with 81% of respondents reporting that they had been with their current employer for at least the last 12 months.
Other notable results:
- 77% of all workers interviewed were Hispanic
- Among U.S.-born workers, only 30% were Hispanic
- 37% were not legally authorized to work in the United States
- The average age was 41, with 64% over age 35
- 64% were most comfortable conversing in Spanish
- The average level of education completed was 9th grade
- 35% reported completing 6th grade or lower
- Average hourly wage was $12.32
- 57% were married, and 50% had minor children
For employers struggling to fill open positions, it appears current farm employees are the best resource. When asked how they found their current job, 60% reported it was via references from relatives or friends.
