Grant Aimed At Employee Satisfaction, Retention For Foreign Labor In Swine Industry

JULIE HARKER

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI

A new grant to University of Missouri Extension from the National Pork Board will help pork producers who rely on foreign labor through the TN visa program. The program, which is part of the North American Free Trade Agreement, allows citizens of Canada or Mexico to work in prearranged part-time or full-time jobs in the United States.

“Labor is a critical need in the swine industry,” said Mag Lopez, MU Extension state swine specialist. “Ten years ago, the TN visa professionals from Mexico began to help swine growers that could not hire local employees. Now about half or more of their employees in some operations are on the TN visa.”

Many TN visa workers hold at least a bachelor’s degree and are well trained. However, most do not speak English. Language is one of several barriers to long-term employment to be surveyed in this grant, Lopez said.

The TN visa employee has been a largely ignored category as it relates to workers’ cultural and professional background, academic history, goals and aspirations, which has had an impact on retention of employees, he said.

Workers will be asked in their own language about what makes their jobs more fulfilling, what could lead them to leave the farm for other opportunities and what tools and incentives would improve worker morale and retention on swine farms.

The survey will be conducted in six leading pork producing states: Missouri, Iowa, North Carolina, Minnesota, Illinois and Ohio.

The results of the survey will be shared with employers of TN visa workers to allow customized management strategies for employee retention.

“This will benefit employers and TN visa workers by improving employee satisfaction and reducing the likelihood of the employee switching employers or resigning,” Lopez said.

The survey results will be presented in English and Spanish at the local, regional and national level to companies, producer organizations in each state, extension conferences and swine conferences and through podcasts and swine magazines. ∆

JULIE HARKER: University of Missouri