Farm Labor Focus Groups

Date:

Thursday, February 11, 2021

Time: 

4:00pm – 5:30pm

Location:

Zoom - online  

Cost:

Free

Related Program(s):

Join us for two upcoming Farm Labor Solutions Focus Groups!  New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Farm Commons, and NY, CT, NH, and VT Land-Grant Extension programs are collaborating to develop innovative farm labor models and we seek input from farmers and farm workers.

For Farm Owners:  Do you struggle with getting all the work done on your farm?  Do you have challenges attracting and retaining employees?  Are you interested in working with other farmers to design solutions to labor challenges? 

For Farm Workers/Employee:  Do you wish you had more consistent employment on farms?  Are you satisfied with your wages and benefits?  Do you have specialized skills that could be applied to multiple farms?  Are you interested in exploring possible collaborative worker-owned labor structures?

If you resonate with the above challenges and opportunities, consider attending one of our Farm Labor focus groups, Exploring Novel Approaches to Farm Labor, to be held via Zoom (online) – complete a registration form here.

Farm Owners:  February 11,  4 - 5:30 pm
Farm Employees:  February 25, 6 – 7:30 pm

We will discuss and provide feedback on potential farm labor models and the opportunities, challenges, and interests of producers and workers to engage with these models.  Be prepared to provide your input and feedback during these interactive online sessions.  Register now by clicking here.  Once registered, you will receive a confirmation and calendar invitation with Zoom link to confirm your spot in the focus group. Space is limited to 10 participants per focus group, so please register early.
An electronic gift card of $50 will be provided for participation in the project. 

Are you a good fit?  We are seeking small to mid-scale diversified fruit and vegetable farmers in New England and New York who practice sustainable growing methods and who market products directly to consumers or engage in wholesale/institutional markets.  We are particularly interested in producers who hire and compensate at least 2-3 full-time, part-time seasonal workers, and/or family members during a farming season.

We are also interested in hearing from farm employees, farm workers, and others who provide labor on farms, either in a field-level role or farm management role.  If you are a farm worker, please register for the Farm Employee Focus Group to share your perspective.

 

This project is funded by a Northeast SARE Novel Approaches grant, LNE19-386R.  For questions about this project, please contact Jennifer Hashley, jennifer.hashley[at]tufts.edu or 617-636-3793.