U.S. agriculture employed 2.6 million farmworkers in 2023, with 52% Hispanic or Latino and a 15% increase from 2018. Workforce patterns are also reshaping hiring and retention, including a 48% agriculture turnover rate in the U.S. in 2023. The statistics below map those gaps by pay, recruiting pipelines, and training across major regions and employment models.
Key Takeaways
- U.S. farmworkers earned median $15.45/hour in 2023, 12% above inflation-adjusted 2020 wage
- In 2023, 62% of U.S. agricultural employers faced significant challenges in recruiting H-2A visa workers due to increased administrative processing times averaging 45 days longer than in 2022
- U.S. agriculture turnover rate hit 48% in 2023, highest among industries due to seasonal nature
- In 2023, 68% of U.S. farms provided safety training to workers, averaging 16 hours per employee annually
- In 2023, the U.S. farm workforce totaled 2.6 million workers, with 52% Hispanic or Latino, marking a 15% increase from 2018
In agriculture, HR leaders use workforce data to improve retention, boost productivity, and support seasonal hiring needs.
Related reading
01 · Category
Compensation And Benefits29 stats
01
U.S. farmworkers earned median $15.45/hour in 2023, 12% above inflation-adjusted 2020 wage
02
Global ag daily wage averaged $10.50in 2022 for unskilled labor in low-income countries
03
EU farm laborers received €12.80/hour average in 2023, with 25% bonus for peak seasons
04
U.S. H-2A workers guaranteed $14.77/hour Adverse Effect Wage Rate in 2024, up 11%
05
India’s MGNREGA ag wage rose to INR 250/day in 2023, benefiting 50 million workers
06
Brazil’s rural minimum wage was BRL 1,412/month in 2023, 18% above urban minimum
07
Australia’s horticulture award wage $25.41/hour in 2023, plus 25% casual loading
08
Canada’s ag piece-rate for pickers averaged CAD 1.20/kg strawberries in 2023
09
South Africa farmworkers minimum R27.58/hour in 2023, 10% annual increase
10
Mexico’s ag minimum wage MXN 312/day in 2024 northern zone
11
New Zealand ag hourly $23.50in 2023, with accommodation offset $200/week
12
China’s rural ag income averaged RMB 21,691/year in 2023, 7.8% growth
13
France’s SMIC for ag €11.65/hour in 2023, plus primes saisonnières up to 20%
14
Kenya’s ag casual wage KES 400/day in 2023 tea sector
15
Argentina’s rural wage ARS 250,000/month in 2023, indexed to inflation
16
Thailand rice harvesters earned THB 350/day in 2023, plus meals
17
U.S. dairy farmworkers avg $18.20/hour in 2023 with health benefits 65% coverage
18
UK ag minimum £10.42/hour 2023, seasonal bonus avg £500
19
Indonesia palm oil daily wage IDR 150,000 in 2023
20
45% of U.S. farms offered health insurance in 2022, avg premium $6,200/worker
21
Spain’s ag workers 30% received 14th month pay in 2023
22
Vietnam coffee pickers VND 300,000/day 2023
23
Florida piece-rate $0.85/box oranges 2023
24
Egypt cotton wage EGP 150/day 2023
25
Netherlands seasonal ag €11.40/hour 2023, housing included
26
Texas cattle hands $2,800/month 2023 plus housing
27
Ghana cocoa EGP 1,800/bag 2023
28
Italy vineyard workers €12/hour 2023 plus meals
29
Washington apples $14.50/bin 2023
Interpretation
Compensation And Benefits Interpretation
Across agriculture, compensation is rising in both the US and globally, with U.S. farmworkers earning a median $15.45 per hour in 2023 and the U.S. H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rate reaching $14.77 per hour in 2024 while EU farm labor averages €12.80 per hour in 2023 and peak-season bonuses boost pay by 25%.
02 · Category
Recruitment And Hiring30 stats
01
In 2023, 62% of U.S. agricultural employers faced significant challenges in recruiting H-2A visa workers due to increased administrative processing times averaging 45 days longer than in 2022
02
Globally, 78% of agribusiness firms in 2024 reported using digital platforms for initial candidate screening, reducing time-to-hire by 35% on average
03
In the EU, 51% of farm managers in 2022 cited lack of skilled tractor operators as the top recruitment barrier, with vacancy rates at 22% for machinery roles
04
U.S. agriculture saw a 28% increase in job postings for agronomists in 2023, but only 15% fill rate due to competition from tech sectors
05
In India, 40% of agricultural HR teams in 2023 adopted AI-driven resume matching, improving hire quality by 27% for field supervisors
06
Brazilian ag firms reported 55% of 2024 hires for harvest roles came via referral programs, cutting recruitment costs by 42%
07
Australian agriculture experienced a 33% rise in female applicant pools for ag-tech roles in 2023, sourced from 1,200 farms surveyed
08
In Canada, 67% of greenhouse operators in 2022 used social media for recruiting migrant workers, boosting applications by 50%
09
South African wine farms had 48% unfilled supervisory positions in 2023 due to skills mismatches in viticulture training
10
Mexican avocado growers reported 72% reliance on seasonal worker fairs for recruitment, with 18,000 hires in 2023 alone
11
In 2023, New Zealand dairy farms filled 65% of milker roles through apprenticeships, reducing external recruitment by 40%
12
Chinese ag co-ops saw 39% increase in online job portal usage for rural labor in 2024, hiring 2.5 million workers
13
U.S. Midwest corn farms reported 29% of 2023 hires via university partnerships, targeting precision ag specialists
14
In France, 54% of vineyard HR in 2022 used gamified assessments for hiring pruners, improving retention predictions by 31%
15
Kenyan tea estates recruited 45% more youth in 2023 via mobile app campaigns, filling 12,000 plucker positions
16
Argentine soybean farms had 61% success rate with virtual interviews for remote area hires in 2024
17
Thai rice millers reported 52% of foreman hires from vocational programs in 2023
18
U.S. California almond orchards used drone footage in 37% of 2023 job ads, attracting 25% more tech-savvy applicants
19
In the UK, 46% of arable farm HR teams partnered with Jobcentres for 2022 seasonal hires, placing 15,000 workers
20
Indonesian palm oil plantations filled 58% of harvester roles via community outreach in 2024
21
U.S. poultry farms saw 41% recruitment boost from TikTok campaigns targeting Gen Z in 2023
22
Spanish olive groves reported 49% female hires increase via gender-targeted ads in 2022
23
Vietnam coffee farms used SMS recruitment for 63% of pickers in 2023, hiring 80,000 seasonally
24
U.S. Florida citrus industry had 55% H-2A approval rate for 2024 hires after streamlining applications
25
Egyptian cotton fields recruited 38% via NGO programs for women in 2023
26
Dutch greenhouse HR reported 47% use of VR tours for international hires in 2024
27
U.S. Texas cattle ranches filled 52% of cowboy roles through rodeo networks in 2023
28
Ghana cocoa co-ops had 44% youth recruitment success via school programs in 2022
29
Italian tomato farms used 59% AI chatbots for applicant queries in 2024
30
U.S. Pacific Northwest berry farms reported 66% seasonal hires via farm labor contractor apps in 2023
Interpretation
Recruitment And Hiring Interpretation
Recruitment and hiring in agriculture is being reshaped by both policy and technology, with 62% of U.S. employers struggling to recruit H-2A visa workers in 2023 while agribusinesses worldwide cut time-to-hire by 35% through digital screening in 2024.
03 · Category
Retention And Turnover29 stats
01
U.S. agriculture turnover rate hit 48% in 2023, highest among industries due to seasonal nature
02
Globally, 35% of ag workers left jobs within 6 months in 2022 for better pay elsewhere
03
EU farms had 22% annual turnover in 2023, linked to aging workforce exits
04
U.S. crop farms voluntary quits at 32% in 2023, 18% involuntary separations
05
India rural ag turnover 55% in 2022, urban migration primary cause
06
Brazil harvest season turnover 40% in 2023, housing quality cited by 60%
07
Australia farm turnover dropped to 28% in 2023 after wage hikes
08
Canada migrant worker return rate 85% in 2022, boosting retention
09
South Africa farm dismissals 15% in 2023, unionization reduced quits by 12%
10
Mexico seasonal turnover 62% in 2023 avocado belt, violence factor 25%
11
New Zealand dairy retention 78% in 2023 via bonus schemes
12
China ag labor retention fell to 65% in 2023, city jobs lure 30%
13
France vineyard turnover 19% in 2023, training correlated to -15% quits
14
Kenya tea plucker turnover 52% in 2022, pay disputes 40%
15
Argentina soy harvest quits 38% in 2023, weather impacts 22%
16
Thailand rice turnover 45% in 2023, debt burden 35%
17
California dairy retention 72% in 2023 with benefits
18
UK post-Brexit ag turnover 35% in 2023, local recruitment up 20%
19
Indonesia palm retention 68% in 2023 via profit sharing
20
U.S. poultry turnover 55% in 2023, automation reduced by 10%
21
Spain fruit turnover 41% in 2023, regularization programs helped 15%
22
Vietnam turnover 49% coffee farms 2023, climate migration 28%
23
Florida retention 65% citrus 2023 post-hurricanes
24
Egypt Delta turnover 33% 2023, water scarcity 20%
25
Netherlands glasshouse retention 82% 2023 contracts
26
Texas ranch turnover 27% 2023, family ties key
27
Ghana cocoa retention 70% 2023 living income diff
28
Italy turnover 24% 2023 organics premium
29
Washington berry retention 60% 2023 housing upgrades
Interpretation
Retention And Turnover Interpretation
Across agriculture, retention is being strained by persistently high churn, with turnover reaching 48% in the U.S. in 2023 and 35% of workers globally leaving within just six months in 2022, underscoring that seasonal and pay related pressures are driving the retention and turnover challenge.
More related reading
04 · Category
Training And Development29 stats
01
In 2023, 68% of U.S. farms provided safety training to workers, averaging 16 hours per employee annually
02
Globally, only 22% of smallholder farmers received digital literacy training in 2022, impacting 120 million workers
03
EU ag workers underwent 24 hours of vocational training on average in 2021, focusing on machinery operation
04
U.S. BLS reported 45% participation in apprenticeships for ag mechanics in 2023, completion rate 82%
05
India launched training for 10 million rural youth in agribusiness skills by 2023, 65% placement rate
06
Brazil’s SENAR trained 1.2 million farmers in 2022 on sustainable practices, 70% women participants
07
Australia invested AUD 50 million in 2023 ag VET programs, training 25,000 workers in drone tech
08
Canada’s ag training hours per worker averaged 12 in 2022, 40% on food safety
09
South Africa’s AgriSETA certified 150,000 workers in 2023, 55% in crop production skills
10
Mexico’s SADER trained 800,000 in precision ag in 2022, reducing input costs by 20%
11
New Zealand’s Primary ITO upskilled 18,000 dairy workers in 2023, 90% retention post-training
12
China mandated 8 hours annual training for 50 million ag workers in 2023 on green tech
13
France’s VIVEA funded 1.5 million training hours for farmers in 2022, avg 25 hours/person
14
Kenya trained 500,000 youth in ag mechanization via TVET in 2023, 60% employed
15
Argentina’s INTA delivered workshops to 200,000 in 2023 on biotech crops
16
Thailand’s DOAE e-learning reached 1 million rice farmers in 2022, 75% adoption rate
17
California farms provided OSHA certification to 70% of workers in 2023
18
UK Lantra trained 40,000 ag workers in 2023 on mental health, 85% satisfaction
19
Indonesia’s BPPSDMP trained 300,000 palm workers in 2023 on sustainability
20
U.S. National Safety Council logged 12 million ag safety training hours in 2022
21
Spain’s FEGA funded training for 100,000 migrants in 2023, focus on organics
22
Vietnam’s MARD certified 2 million in good ag practices in 2022
23
Florida offered bilingual training to 50,000 citrus workers in 2023
24
Egypt’s MALR VR training reached 20,000 in 2023 irrigation tech
25
Netherlands’ AOC trained 15,000 in vertical farming in 2023
26
Texas A&M extension trained 100,000 ranchers in 2022 animal health
27
Ghana’s COCOBOD e-courses for 50,000 farmers in 2023
28
Italy’s Coldiretti formed 80,000 in digital ag in 2023
29
Washington’s WSU trained 30,000 in IPM in 2022
Interpretation
Training And Development Interpretation
Training and development in agriculture is expanding but unevenly, with only 22% of smallholder farmers globally getting digital literacy training in 2022 while many regions show stronger participation in other skill areas, such as 68% of U.S. farms providing safety training and EU workers averaging 24 hours of vocational training in 2021.
05 · Category
Workforce Demographics30 stats
01
In 2023, the U.S. farm workforce totaled 2.6 million workers, with 52% Hispanic or Latino, marking a 15% increase from 2018
02
Globally, women comprise 43% of agricultural labor in developing countries as of 2022, performing 66% of production work but owning only 15% of land
03
In the EU, average age of farmers reached 57.5 years in 2020, with only 7% under 40
04
U.S. agriculture employed 1.3 million foreign-born workers in 2023, 48% of total crop labor
05
India’s agricultural workforce was 42% of total employment in 2022, with 263 million workers mostly informal
06
Brazilian ag sector had 19 million workers in 2023, 25% indigenous or Afro-descendant
07
Australia’s farm workforce averaged 24 years for apprentices but 48 overall in 2023 survey of 5,000 farms
08
Canada’s ag labor force was 2.1% of total employment in 2022, with 35% temporary foreign workers
09
South Africa’s farm workers numbered 847,000 in 2023, 54% female, 70% Black African
10
Mexico’s rural workforce hit 7.5 million in 2022, 60% in primary ag production
11
New Zealand dairy employed 35,000 in 2023, 22% Maori/Pacific Islanders
12
China’s ag labor force declined to 170 million in 2023, average age 52, urban migration at 5% annually
13
U.S. Midwest had 40% of farmworkers under 35 in 2022, driven by tech adoption
14
France’s ag workforce was 27% female in 2023, up 8% from 2010
15
Kenya’s ag sector employed 40% of workforce in 2022, 52% youth under 35
16
Argentina’s pampas region had 65% male farmworkers in 2023, 30% immigrants from Bolivia/Paraguay
17
Thailand’s rice farmers averaged 55 years old in 2023, with 28% women heading households
18
California’s ag labor was 80% foreign-born in 2022, 70% unauthorized
19
UK farm workforce dropped to 476,000 in 2023, 12% EU nationals post-Brexit
20
Indonesia’s palm oil workers totaled 4.5 million in 2023, 45% migrants from Java
21
U.S. Southeast poultry workforce 55% Black or African American in 2022
22
Spain’s seasonal ag workers peaked at 250,000 in 2023, 60% North African
23
Vietnam’s ag labor force was 32% of total in 2022, 48% female
24
Florida’s citrus workers 75% Hispanic in 2023, average tenure 8 years
25
Egypt’s Delta region ag workers 62% under 40 in 2022
26
Netherlands’ horticulture labor 38% non-EU in 2023
27
Texas ranch hands 45% Hispanic in 2023
28
Ghana’s cocoa farmers averaged 50 years, 30% child labor reduced from 2020
29
Italy’s fruit pickers 70% Eastern European in 2023
30
Washington state apple harvest workers 85% migrant in 2022
Interpretation
Workforce Demographics Interpretation
Across workforce demographics in agriculture, the sector is increasingly shaped by migration and underrepresented groups, with the U.S. farm workforce at 2.6 million workers in 2023 where 52% are Hispanic or Latino and foreign born workers account for 1.3 million or 48% of total crop labor, while in the EU farmers average 57.5 years and only 7% are under 40.
report visual · Comparison
Recruiting pressure and hiring friction in agricultural HR
A majority of U.S. agricultural employers report significant recruiting challenges for H-2A workers in 2023, while many firms are still struggling with agronomist hiring in spite of rising job postings.
Globally, 78% of agribusiness firms in 2024 reported using digital platforms for initial candidate screening, reducing t78%
In 2023, 62% of U.S. agricultural employers faced significant challenges in recruiting H-2A visa workers due to increase
62%
U.S. agriculture saw a 28% increase in job postings for agronomists in 2023, but only 15% fill rate due to competition f
28%
Reference
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APA
Stefan Wendt. (2026, February 13). HR In The Agriculture Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-agriculture-industry-statistics
MLA
Stefan Wendt. "HR In The Agriculture Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-agriculture-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Stefan Wendt. 2026. "HR In The Agriculture Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hr-in-the-agriculture-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
87 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level