Hiring Farm Employees

Do you need an employee, or just more help?

Start by writing down which tasks are taking too much of your time and how many hours each week they require. Some work is better suited to custom hire, a contractor or a family member than to an employee. A steady, repeating job such as daily animal care, harvest and packing or market sales is a stronger case for hiring than a one-time project.

Compare the real cost with the value of your freed time. Hours that let you sell more, grow a better product or rest enough to farm safely are worth more than hours spent on tasks that could wait.

• Steady daily or weekly work suggests an employee
• Occasional projects suggest contract or custom help
• Check that freed time will be used well

What rules apply when you hire?

Employment rules are set by federal, state and sometimes local governments, and they differ by farm type, size and the kind of work. Questions include wages, overtime, minimum age for tasks, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, payroll taxes, record keeping and required notices. Agricultural work is treated differently from other work in some areas, so do not assume general rules apply.

Call your state labor department and ask what applies to an agricultural employer of your size. Ask a tax professional or payroll service about withholding and reporting, and an insurance agent about workers' compensation. Extension offices can help you find the right offices to ask. Do not rely on a neighbor's arrangement.

How do you write a clear job description?

List the tasks, the hours, the season, the physical demands, the weather conditions and the skills required or taught. Be honest about the hard parts: early mornings, heat, mud, repeated lifting and weekend work. People who know what to expect are more likely to stay.

State the pay arrangement clearly, including how often people are paid and how overtime or extra days are handled where rules require it. Ask local sources about common pay in your area and compare it with what your farm can afford.

Post the job where your likely candidates already look, such as farm group boards, community college offices and local feed store bulletin boards, and describe the work in plain words.

• Tasks, hours and season
• Physical demands and conditions
• Skills needed and what you will teach
• Pay schedule and how it works

Where do you find good people?

Start close to home. Neighbors, local growers, 4-H and FFA programs, agricultural classes at community colleges, farm groups and your market community often know someone. Be wary of hiring solely on enthusiasm. Ask for references, talk about the actual work and invite candidates to try a paid short shift before a longer commitment, where rules allow.

Interview with the farm in view. Watching how someone handles a gate, an animal or a rake tells you more than a resume.

Pay attention to fit with your household. Someone working close to your home and animals becomes part of daily life, so trust and communication matter as much as skill.

How do you train people safely?

Training is part of the job. Show the task, let the person try it with you nearby, and check the result. Cover safety on equipment, animal handling, chemicals, heat and ladders before anyone works alone. Keep a written list of the tasks and the safe way to do each one. OSHA and your state agency publish agricultural safety information, and your extension office may offer training.

Make it easy to ask questions or stop work when something looks unsafe. Many farm injuries happen when someone is hurrying or afraid to ask.

How do you keep good employees?

Pay fairly and on time, give clear directions, thank people for good work and fix problems early. A predictable schedule, safe equipment and a respectful workplace matter more than most people expect. Meet regularly, even briefly, to talk about what is working. If someone is not a fit, address it directly and kindly, and follow the rules about ending employment in your state.

Keep records for every employee, including hours, pay and any incidents, since you may need them later.

What should you budget for beyond wages?

Wages are only part of the cost. Add employer payroll taxes where they apply, workers' compensation, equipment and clothing, training time, supervision time, mistakes and the cost of turnover. Ask your insurance agent and a tax professional to help you list each item. Run your plan with the full cost before you hire so that the job is one you can keep through a slow season.

Revisit the numbers after three months. If the hire is helping, you will see it in sales, hours and your own energy. If not, adjust the job rather than quietly absorbing a cost you cannot carry.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.