Labor shortages and high turnover remain among the top concerns keeping dairy owners and operators up at night. In 2026, the challenge is not only finding workers but also keeping them engaged and committed to one of the most vital roles on the farm.

In this article, we will look at eight tips for dairy farm recruiting today in three categories: recruiting focus, recruitment materials and recruitment campaign.

In today’s world, your recruitment should have three components: continuous marketing of your ranch/farm business, recruitment materials and a recruitment blitz.

The first three quarters of 2024 saw over 300,000 agricultural workers enter the country through the H-2A program, which provides temporary visas for foreign workers to perform seasonal agricultural jobs. It is an important source of labor in the West, with California and Washington ranking third and fourth in the nation, respectively, for H-2A workers.

Many business leaders and managers complain that they can teach new employees how to do all the tasks required for the job, but too often prospective employees lack the character and attitude necessary to fit their company culture.

Higher wages being paid across the country create a disadvantage for an industry that already fights to keep margins at a profitable point. Those who do a good job recruiting and taking care of qualified employees will have the upper hand.

In this episode of the Progressive Dairy Podcast, host Kimmi Devaney visits with Kansas dairy producer Lee Holtmeier from Linn Willow Creek Dairy about their employee culture, what they do to mentor and empower employees, and how they keep employee turnover low. 

If talk about farm culture leaves you feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and pick just one aspect of your culture to improve. Start with one small thing you can control, whether it be clarity, organization or belonging.