Labor
Robotic strawberry harvester gathers $7.5M of investments
A total $7.5 million recently was invested in Advanced Farm Technologies (AFT), a developer of robotic farming equipment that includes the T-6 robotic strawberry harvester. Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley (YMVSV), the strategic business... more »
Perdue meets with Guatemalan ministers to discuss H-2A
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue met Aug. 14 with a host of Ministers from Guatemala to discuss implementation of the recently signed agreement between the United States and Guatemala to improve H-2A visa program... more »
Resource helps deliver child care in agricultural communities
At a time when agricultural employers are struggling to find workers, access to quality child care can aid in worker recruitment, improve retention and boost employee morale. A new resource, “Roadmap for delivering child care in... more »
Washington blueberry grower fights late mandatory pay rate hike
One of Washington’s largest blueberry growers is threatening to cut short the 2019 harvest and replace human pickers with machines next year. That’s the company’s reaction to a recent mandatory pay rate increase for guest... more »
NCAE webinar focuses on wage and hour queries, audits
The National Council of Agricultural Employers, NCAE, is hosting the second installment of its educational webinar series, “Tips for Surviving Wage and Hour Investigations or OFLC Desk Audits.” The webinar will be held on Tuesday,... more »
New Jersey blueberry industry responds to food safety claims
On Aug. 8, New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher issued the following statement in response to an article published Aug. 8 on www.Inquirer.com, out of Philadelphia, about labor housing conditions at some New... more »
Van Doren Sales, Compac open Michigan facility
Fruit packing equipment company Van Doren Sales and its partner Compac Tomra have a heavy concentration in the Pacific Northwest, but they recently opened a new facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan. ... more »
Ag labor firm AgHelp receives support to expand services
Agtech company AgHelp (aghelpusa.com) has been accepted into the 2019 Techstars Impact Accelerator Program. According to a news release, AgHelp has built a marketplace for agricultural employers, workers, and support services to connect on any... more »