GITNUXREPORT 2026

Hr In The Farming Industry Statistics

Farm employers struggle with severe labor shortages and depend heavily on foreign workers.

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

Median weekly earnings for farmworkers: $650 in 2022

Statistic 2

Average hourly wage for crop farmworkers: $15.50 in 2023

Statistic 3

40% of farmworkers receive no health insurance benefits

Statistic 4

Overtime pay is required for H-2A workers after 48 hours/week

Statistic 5

Piece-rate wages common, averaging $0.80 per bucket for apples

Statistic 6

25% of farms offer retirement plans to full-time employees

Statistic 7

Minimum wage for farmworkers in California: $15.50/hour in 2023

Statistic 8

Average annual salary for farm managers: $75,000

Statistic 9

55% of seasonal workers earn below poverty line wages

Statistic 10

Paid sick leave offered by only 18% of farms

Statistic 11

H-2A adverse effect wage rate: $14.92/hour national average 2023

Statistic 12

Bonus incentives used by 30% of farms for retention

Statistic 13

Workers' compensation coverage mandatory for farms with 11+ employees

Statistic 14

Average benefits package costs farms 20% of wages

Statistic 15

65% of farmworkers receive paid vacation (less than 1 week)

Statistic 16

Wage theft affects 20% of migrant farmworkers annually

Statistic 17

Only 10% of small farms provide life insurance benefits

Statistic 18

Farm fatality rate: 23.2 per 100,000 workers in 2021

Statistic 19

Nonfatal injury rate in agriculture: 4.6 per 100 workers

Statistic 20

52% annual turnover rate for hired crop farmworkers

Statistic 21

Heat-related illnesses affect 1,700 farmworkers yearly

Statistic 22

Tractor overturns cause 42% of farm fatalities

Statistic 23

30% of farmworkers report chronic back pain from labor

Statistic 24

Retention rates improve 25% with housing provisions

Statistic 25

65% of farms have safety committees

Statistic 26

Pesticide exposure incidents: 10,000 annually in agriculture

Statistic 27

Mental health issues reported by 44% of farmers due to stress

Statistic 28

Ergonomic injuries account for 25% of farm claims

Statistic 29

80% of retained workers cite good safety culture as key

Statistic 30

COVID-19 infection rate 3x higher for farmworkers in 2020

Statistic 31

Hearing loss from machinery affects 20% of long-term farmworkers

Statistic 32

Retention bonus programs reduce turnover by 15%

Statistic 33

70% of injuries occur to workers under 25 years old

Statistic 34

Safety audits conducted annually by 50% of mid-sized farms

Statistic 35

35% voluntary turnover due to poor working conditions

Statistic 36

Wellness programs implemented on 22% of farms improve retention

Statistic 37

In 2022, 68% of U.S. farm employers reported difficulty finding qualified workers for production agriculture jobs

Statistic 38

42% of crop farms used H-2A workers in 2021 to fill labor shortages

Statistic 39

Only 23% of farmworkers are U.S. citizens, with most being foreign-born

Statistic 40

H-2A visa approvals increased by 15% from 2021 to 2022, reaching over 370,000

Statistic 41

75% of specialty crop farms cite labor shortages as their top business challenge

Statistic 42

Recruitment costs for H-2A workers average $3,000 per worker including transportation and visas

Statistic 43

55% of farmers use staffing agencies for seasonal labor recruitment

Statistic 44

Turnover rates in farm labor exceed 50% annually for seasonal positions

Statistic 45

Only 15% of farms offer formal recruitment programs targeting local workers

Statistic 46

62% of dairy farms struggle with hiring due to rural location barriers

Statistic 47

80% of livestock producers report hiring challenges for skilled roles like veterinarians

Statistic 48

Job postings for farm supervisors increased 20% year-over-year in 2023

Statistic 49

35% of farms use social media for recruitment, up from 10% in 2018

Statistic 50

H-2A denial rates for employers dropped to 2% in 2022 due to streamlined processes

Statistic 51

48% of fruit and vegetable farms rely on migrant labor programs

Statistic 52

Recruitment time for farmworkers averages 45 days in peak season

Statistic 53

70% of growers say immigration reform would ease hiring

Statistic 54

Only 12% of farms partner with workforce development for recruitment

Statistic 55

65% of nursery operations face hiring shortages for skilled propagators

Statistic 56

Online job boards account for 25% of farmworker hires in 2023

Statistic 57

85% of U.S. farms provide some form of safety training annually

Statistic 58

OSHA training required for 25% of hazardous farm tasks

Statistic 59

40% of farmworkers receive less than 8 hours of annual training

Statistic 60

Pesticide applicator certification training completed by 70% of handlers

Statistic 61

Leadership development programs adopted by 15% of large farms

Statistic 62

60% of farms use online modules for equipment operation training

Statistic 63

Skills gap in precision agriculture affects 50% of operations

Statistic 64

Apprenticeship programs for farm mechanics: 5,000 participants in 2022

Statistic 65

32% of workers trained in English as second language programs

Statistic 66

Cost of training per farmworker: $500 annually on average

Statistic 67

75% of dairy farms train on milking parlor hygiene

Statistic 68

Certification in forklift operation held by 45% of warehouse farm staff

Statistic 69

20% increase in ag tech training enrollment since 2020

Statistic 70

Only 28% of farms evaluate training effectiveness

Statistic 71

55% of farm injuries preventable with better training

Statistic 72

2.6 million people were employed in farming occupations in 2022

Statistic 73

45% of farmworkers are Hispanic or Latino

Statistic 74

Average age of farmworkers is 39 years old

Statistic 75

Women make up 28% of the agricultural workforce

Statistic 76

1.2 million seasonal farmworkers employed annually

Statistic 77

22% of farmworkers have less than a high school education

Statistic 78

Foreign-born workers comprise 73% of crop farm laborers

Statistic 79

Youth under 25 represent 15% of farm labor force

Statistic 80

60% of U.S. farmworkers speak Spanish as primary language

Statistic 81

Employment in animal production grew 3% from 2021-2022

Statistic 82

35% of farmworkers live in employer-provided housing

1/82

Sources

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As America's farms struggle to find hands to feed the nation, with over two-thirds of employers reporting crippling labor shortages, the human resources challenges in agriculture have become a crisis threatening the very roots of our food supply.

Key Takeaways

In 2022, 68% of U.S. farm employers reported difficulty finding qualified workers for production agriculture jobs
42% of crop farms used H-2A workers in 2021 to fill labor shortages
Only 23% of farmworkers are U.S. citizens, with most being foreign-born
2.6 million people were employed in farming occupations in 2022
45% of farmworkers are Hispanic or Latino
Average age of farmworkers is 39 years old
Median weekly earnings for farmworkers: $650 in 2022
Average hourly wage for crop farmworkers: $15.50 in 2023
40% of farmworkers receive no health insurance benefits
85% of U.S. farms provide some form of safety training annually
OSHA training required for 25% of hazardous farm tasks
40% of farmworkers receive less than 8 hours of annual training
Farm fatality rate: 23.2 per 100,000 workers in 2021
Nonfatal injury rate in agriculture: 4.6 per 100 workers
52% annual turnover rate for hired crop farmworkers

Farm employers struggle with severe labor shortages and depend heavily on foreign workers.

Compensation and Benefits

Median weekly earnings for farmworkers: $650 in 2022
Average hourly wage for crop farmworkers: $15.50 in 2023
40% of farmworkers receive no health insurance benefits
Overtime pay is required for H-2A workers after 48 hours/week
Piece-rate wages common, averaging $0.80 per bucket for apples
25% of farms offer retirement plans to full-time employees
Minimum wage for farmworkers in California: $15.50/hour in 2023
Average annual salary for farm managers: $75,000
55% of seasonal workers earn below poverty line wages
Paid sick leave offered by only 18% of farms
H-2A adverse effect wage rate: $14.92/hour national average 2023
Bonus incentives used by 30% of farms for retention
Workers' compensation coverage mandatory for farms with 11+ employees
Average benefits package costs farms 20% of wages
65% of farmworkers receive paid vacation (less than 1 week)
Wage theft affects 20% of migrant farmworkers annually
Only 10% of small farms provide life insurance benefits

Compensation and Benefits Interpretation

Despite earning well below a living wage, farmworkers endure the irony of picking the nation's bounty while their own compensation package is frequently harvested of its most essential benefits.

Health, Safety, and Retention

Farm fatality rate: 23.2 per 100,000 workers in 2021
Nonfatal injury rate in agriculture: 4.6 per 100 workers
52% annual turnover rate for hired crop farmworkers
Heat-related illnesses affect 1,700 farmworkers yearly
Tractor overturns cause 42% of farm fatalities
30% of farmworkers report chronic back pain from labor
Retention rates improve 25% with housing provisions
65% of farms have safety committees
Pesticide exposure incidents: 10,000 annually in agriculture
Mental health issues reported by 44% of farmers due to stress
Ergonomic injuries account for 25% of farm claims
80% of retained workers cite good safety culture as key
COVID-19 infection rate 3x higher for farmworkers in 2020
Hearing loss from machinery affects 20% of long-term farmworkers
Retention bonus programs reduce turnover by 15%
70% of injuries occur to workers under 25 years old
Safety audits conducted annually by 50% of mid-sized farms
35% voluntary turnover due to poor working conditions
Wellness programs implemented on 22% of farms improve retention

Health, Safety, and Retention Interpretation

Behind the idyllic pastoral image, agriculture harbors a brutal arithmetic of human cost, where short-term neglect of safety, health, and dignity fuels a vicious cycle of injury, turnover, and despair, while the proven solutions for retention and wellbeing—like housing, safety culture, and care—remain tragically under-cultivated.

Recruitment and Hiring

In 2022, 68% of U.S. farm employers reported difficulty finding qualified workers for production agriculture jobs
42% of crop farms used H-2A workers in 2021 to fill labor shortages
Only 23% of farmworkers are U.S. citizens, with most being foreign-born
H-2A visa approvals increased by 15% from 2021 to 2022, reaching over 370,000
75% of specialty crop farms cite labor shortages as their top business challenge
Recruitment costs for H-2A workers average $3,000 per worker including transportation and visas
55% of farmers use staffing agencies for seasonal labor recruitment
Turnover rates in farm labor exceed 50% annually for seasonal positions
Only 15% of farms offer formal recruitment programs targeting local workers
62% of dairy farms struggle with hiring due to rural location barriers
80% of livestock producers report hiring challenges for skilled roles like veterinarians
Job postings for farm supervisors increased 20% year-over-year in 2023
35% of farms use social media for recruitment, up from 10% in 2018
H-2A denial rates for employers dropped to 2% in 2022 due to streamlined processes
48% of fruit and vegetable farms rely on migrant labor programs
Recruitment time for farmworkers averages 45 days in peak season
70% of growers say immigration reform would ease hiring
Only 12% of farms partner with workforce development for recruitment
65% of nursery operations face hiring shortages for skilled propagators
Online job boards account for 25% of farmworker hires in 2023

Recruitment and Hiring Interpretation

Despite its reliance on foreign labor, U.S. agriculture finds itself in a paradoxical and persistent labor crisis, where even streamlined visas and social media can't fully compensate for a fundamental domestic disconnect from farm work.

Training and Development

85% of U.S. farms provide some form of safety training annually
OSHA training required for 25% of hazardous farm tasks
40% of farmworkers receive less than 8 hours of annual training
Pesticide applicator certification training completed by 70% of handlers
Leadership development programs adopted by 15% of large farms
60% of farms use online modules for equipment operation training
Skills gap in precision agriculture affects 50% of operations
Apprenticeship programs for farm mechanics: 5,000 participants in 2022
32% of workers trained in English as second language programs
Cost of training per farmworker: $500 annually on average
75% of dairy farms train on milking parlor hygiene
Certification in forklift operation held by 45% of warehouse farm staff
20% increase in ag tech training enrollment since 2020
Only 28% of farms evaluate training effectiveness
55% of farm injuries preventable with better training

Training and Development Interpretation

The grim irony of American agriculture is that while we meticulously train 70% of handlers to apply pesticides safely, we’re still only evaluating the effectiveness of that training on 28% of farms, leaving a preventable 55% of injuries to persist in the fields.

Workforce Demographics

2.6 million people were employed in farming occupations in 2022
45% of farmworkers are Hispanic or Latino
Average age of farmworkers is 39 years old
Women make up 28% of the agricultural workforce
1.2 million seasonal farmworkers employed annually
22% of farmworkers have less than a high school education
Foreign-born workers comprise 73% of crop farm laborers
Youth under 25 represent 15% of farm labor force
60% of U.S. farmworkers speak Spanish as primary language
Employment in animal production grew 3% from 2021-2022
35% of farmworkers live in employer-provided housing

Workforce Demographics Interpretation

While the stereotypical image of an American farmer may be a weathered, multi-generational local, today's agricultural workforce is actually a vibrant, multilingual tapestry—mostly foreign-born, speaking Spanish, living on-site, and aging just shy of 40—where youthful muscle is in short supply and formal education often takes a backseat to indispensable, backbreaking experience.