If any of these questions hit home for you, you are not alone in most agricultural sectors today. Advance planning can make working with your Hispanic employees much easier and more productive, once they are on the farm. Many producers are considering turning to Hispanic employees as a viable alternative. Advance planning can make working with your Hispanic employees much easier and more productive, once they are on the farm.
Language is one of the first and most obvious issues.
There are ways around it but, in the end, it's better to learn Spanish. If they see you are trying to learn Spanish, they will be more willing to learn English. Have your employees write down the words and help you learn them. Western New York vegetable grower Craig Yunker brings instructors to the farm each week to teach Spanish to non-Spanish speaking employees, including Craig, and English to his Hispanic employees. He also has a farm introduction letter, and job responsibilities, expectations and procedures written in both Spanish and English.