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December 7, 2006
BeefTalk: The Future of Beef – Labor Issues
A new challenge in the beef industry is finding a labor force that can help producers get their work done when the tasks need to be completed. Cow-calf operations seldom gave much thought to not having labor in the past because in most locales, there seemed to be a labor pool for hire. That list of talent is dwindling. The net result may impact rural communities in many ways. Labor was one of seven issues identified by the Farm Foundation as it partnered with private and public organizations to take a look into the future of animal agriculture. In the final report, Peter Goldsmith and Philip Martin, writing in “Community and Labor Issues in Animal Agriculture,” published by the American Agricultural Economics Association’s online Choices magazine (www.choicesmagazine.org, Volume 21, No. 3, 2006), noted that “Animal agriculture is undergoing fundamental change, driven by new production technologies, changing consumer demand, genetic improvements, new retailing pressures, and globalization.” Goldsmith and Martin stated, “Production has shifted from independent operators to larger production units” and that these newer units “… largely bypass community linkages.” For the most part, in beef country, these larger production units still are independently owned, but the ramifications are still the same. Labor needs change and the skills of today’s work force are much more extensive. On one hand, the need is simply more people to keep cattle moving during a very brief period of time and performing tasks such as cattle sorting, feeding and seasonal general chores. The operation on the next day is faced with a need to have people to interact with a very dynamic, fast-paced, technology-savvy supply chain that feeds into backgrounding lots, feed lots and meat packers. Given the vast assortment of needs, the erratic nature and spot times for any particular expertise and the overall lack of availability of people, finding labor is a growing challenge. The ability of an individual, independent owner keeping up on all the ins and outs of the business is almost nonexistent in today’s beef production chain. A minor slip, a misplaced note or a simple lapse of thought can cost money. Not only do producers find themselves stretched to physical limits, but the mental limits also quickly surface. In today’s frantic-paced business world, a mental slippage, in contrast to reaching one’s physical limitations, may go unnoticed, but mental mistakes can have significantly greater impacts on the bottom line. So who does step up and get the work done? There are three common choices. Do the work yourself, hire local people or seek to encourage an outside work force to become involved. The first two ideas are the current applications that don’t seem to be working because of the out- migration of the work force. Alternative solutions
have not always been evaluated. Often in those areas already impacted
by depleted population, the operation simply chooses to sell out. To remain
viable, the beef industry can survive and grow by creating opportunity,
resulting in an immigration of people. Unfortunately, these new jobs may be low-paying and have the potential to change the composition of the population, giving rise to potential conflicts, but for now, the need is known. The plan is, well, let’s put it this way, I’m not sure there is one that effectively repopulates the west. May you find all your ear tags. Your comments are always welcome at www.BeefTalk.com. For more information, contact the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association, 1041 State Avenue, Dickinson, ND 58601 or go to www.CHAPS2000.com on the Internet. In correspondence about this column, refer to BT0329. ### Source:
Kris Ringwall, (701) 483-2348, ext. 103, kringwal@ndsuext.nodak.edu
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Market Advisor: |
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North Dakota State University |
