QUALITY WATCH
How can you develop your workforce and prepare for the unexpected? WE ASKED THE EXPERTS:
Lindsay Green
Nicole Ayache
Jolene Griffin
MMPA Member Representative
NMPF Sr. Director of Sustainability Initiatives
UDIM Director of Industry Relations
With 40 percent of dairies hiring non-family employees it is becoming increasingly important that producers are aware of best practices for creating a safe and productive workplace for their employees. For this reason, the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Workforce Development (WFD) standards were created.
Workforce Development (WFD) is the newest pillar of the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program, addressing human resources and worker safety.
So now the question for our members is, ‘where do I start?” My recommendation would be to visit www.nationaldairyfarm. com and under the FARM resources tab click on ‘Worker Safety and Human Resources’ and take the self-assessments for both worker safety and HR. This will give you a feel for where you stand now and what areas you can work on improving using the other resources available on the FARM website such as the employee handbook template. While on the FARM website, I would also encourage our members to review the Legal Fact Sheet for the state they reside to ensure they are meeting HR requirements in their state. As always, if you have questions or would like additional information regarding the Workforce Development standards please feel free to contact myself or Deb Gingrich.
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FARM WFD focuses on the people who work year-round to provide excellent cow care and produce wholesome milk: our dairy-farm families and their employees. The program supports dairy owners and managers looking to improve on-farm culture, increase employee engagement, reduce turnover and manage safety risks. It also provides assurances to dairy buyers and retailers eager to know more about on-farm labor practices. FARM developed the program alongside farmers, academics, cooperative staff and other experts to offer free producer resources, including state legal factsheets, safety and HR manuals, and downloadable templates. FARM WFD also recently launched a second Party Evaluation Tool that cooperatives and processors can voluntarily opt-in to use with their farms. The tool was piloted on more than 45 farms and benefited from a public comment period. It helps dairies learn about HR and safety best management practices, identify which practices may benefit their farm and track improvement over time. FARM WFD supports dairy farms on their journeys of continuous improvement to enhance their safe and thriving workplaces.
As dairy farmers, you have protocols and written procedures for every aspect of your farm, from animal care to nutrient management to training new employees. Now’s the time to also include a crisis plan. Creating a plan, sharing with your employees, updating as needed and engaging your industry partners like the United Dairy Industry of Michigan (UDIM) and MMPA should be part of your farm’s management plan. At UDIM we have resources to help you create a plan, and if a crisis does occur, we can help you work through it. A crisis plan puts in place the steps that need to happen during a crisis, enabling all farm team members to act swiftly and effectively in a time where every second will count. Earlier this year we mailed a packet to all Michigan dairy farmers with a magnet to keep emergency numbers in a place where everyone can find them if needed and a document listing steps to take if a crisis does occur, recently those documents were translated into Spanish. If you would like additional copies of those resources, please call our office at 517-349-8923.
