Trade NAFTA visa program could help with ag labor challenges

You’ve seen the signs; from your local diner to national retail chains and seemingly every business in between, the “help wanted” sign is practically everywhere you turn.  Although the COVID pandemic created a complex and confusing labor market on a national scale, the agriculture sector has dealt with labor challenges for a long time, particularly in the areas of live animal production and logistics.One area where food animal producers and processors have turned to overcome domestic labor shortages is across the border.According to HR professional Silvia Castañeda with Eichelberger Farms, producers might be overlooking one specific visa program in their efforts to source foreign workers on their farms. In this episode, Silvia explains some of the specific challenges to recruiting and retaining employees in the swine industry, and about her company's experience with the Trade NAFTA Visa program.This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus is sponsored by Topigs Norsvin, the second largest swine genetics company in the world. The TN70 is the flagship parent sow of Topigs Norsvin, described as being a self-reliant sow capable of raising her own pigs and requiring less human intervention in the farrowing house. When challenged with finding qualified employees, hire the TN70. Visit tn70.topigsnorsvin.com to see what producers are saying about their experience with the TN70.