Penn State Extension educators, under the leadership of Linda Falcone and Maria Gorgo-Simcox, have successfully executed a grant-funded initiative aimed at enhancing workforce retention, pesticide safety, and food safety among specialty crop farmers. This program, particularly focused on addressing the high turnover rates, labor shortages, and compliance with food safety regulations exacerbated by language barriers, has made significant strides in supporting the agricultural sector's sustainability and profitability.
Highlighting the critical role of Latinos, who constitute 75% of the U.S. agricultural workforce, Gorgo-Simcox pointed out the scarcity of Spanish-language educational resources for those transitioning into managerial or ownership roles. In response, the project developed bilingual, research-based training materials to mitigate turnover, ensure worker safety, and reduce contamination risks in fresh produce. This initiative was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant Program from 2021 to 2024.
To bolster the accessibility of resources for Spanish-speaking personnel, educational materials, and workshops were translated into Spanish, resulting in the creation of seven videos focused on hiring and retention, now available on Penn State Extension's website. The project surpassed its objectives, training 288 farm owners and supervisors and achieving a 97.5% intent-to-adopt rate for the practices taught. Workshops covered essential topics such as onboarding, mentoring, conflict management, and feedback.
Additionally, food safety training engaged 609 participants, focusing on compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act, pesticide safety, and contamination risk reduction. An 84% adoption rate for food safety practices was reported, with participants noting improvements in farm safety protocols, water testing, and recordkeeping. The pesticide safety courses were also well-received, highlighting the comprehensive and effective nature of the instruction provided.
Feedback from participants across all workshops was overwhelmingly positive, with many commending the practicality and relevance of the training sessions.
Source: Penn State University