Farm employers operate with limited profit margins to
raise farm worker wages, so what is the future of farm work
in the United States? Martin (2017) suggests the four S's:
1. Supplement the current farm workforce with
guest workers.
2. Substitute machines for workers. (This would change
farm jobs from primarily hand labor to higher-paying
machine labor.)
3. Stretch the current supply of labor through mechanical
aids that make workers more efficient.
4. Satisfy current workers with benefits, bonuses, and
improved working conditions, to help retain workers.
Evidence suggests that farm worker supply will continue
to tighten, and wages rise. Agricultural work will become
more technological, and the agricultural sector will reduce
its dependence on unauthorized workers as working
conditions and benefits improve to attract and retain
qualified workers.
Real Farm Wages Are Rising
Figure from: Zahniser, Steven, J. Edward Taylor, Tom Hertz, and Diane Charlton. "Farm Labor Markets in the United
States and Mexico Pose Challenges for U.S. Agriculture." USDA ERS Economic Information Bulletin Number 201.
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