Oct 31, 2016
Penn State to host open forum on workforce concerns

Many fruit growers have expressed concerns about a shortage of skilled employees this harvest season. To discuss the path forward, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture will conduct an open forum on Nov. 16 at the Penn State Fruit Research and Extension Center in Biglerville.

The forum will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the Fruit Research and Extension Center auditorium. There is no need to pre-register.

Scott Sheely from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture will lead this session to hear from fruit growers about their concerns regarding workforce. This includes production workforce, middle-level supervisors and trades, and upper-level managers. There are a variety of issues ranging from skills gaps to recruiting the traditional workforce to guest workers to migrant labor.

This will primarily be an open session for growers to bring up the topics that are most important for them.

For more information, visit the Penn State Tree Fruit Production website.

Tara Baugher, Penn State University

Source: Penn State Extension




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