The Agriculture Marketing, Advocacy and Outreach team works with farmers/ranchers and agribusinesses to identify current and future needs in regards to the skills needed for workforce.
The team also works with secondary and post-secondary educational institutions to develop training solutions for the workforce needs of the industry. Creating partnerships between industry and education that ensures a pipeline of qualified individuals to fill the needs of the agricultural employers is the primary workforce development goal at KDA.
Additionally, the team reaches out to secondary education programs in order to promote agriculture careers and opportunities that are available to students upon graduation from high school or post-secondary training.
In an effort to better understand current workforce issues, trends and needs within the Kansas agriculture industry, the Kansas Department of Agriculture called on industry partners to help identify workforce needs among agricultural employers in the state by conducting the second Kansas Agriculture Workforce Needs Assessment Survey.
Kansas farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, manufacturers and producers of agricultural products were asked to complete the survey to help KDA identify the number and types of jobs in the state's agriculture industry, and the specific skills required for those jobs.
For questions, contact Russell Plaschka, KDA agriculture marketing director, at Russell.Plaschka@ks.gov.
2022 Kansas Agriculture Workforce Needs Assessment Survey
2022 Workforce Survey Overview
2022 KDA Workforce Needs Assessment Survey Final Report
KDA hosted an H-2A Agricultural Worker Program webinar on April 7, 2022. A link to the recording can be found here.
VIEW WEBINAR
This educational webinar provided information on legislation concerning the U.S. Department of Labor’s H–2A program for temporary agricultural employment of foreign workers via the Farm Worker Modernization Act. The webinar also provided insight on the process and necessary documentation needed for obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and the differences between a CDL and farm vehicle operations. The final piece of the webinar featured a facilitated discussion allowing participants to ask questions and provide comments on issues concerning the H–2A program.
For more information contact Russell Plaschka, KDA ag business development and workforce program manager, at Russell.Plaschka@ks.gov or 785-564-7466.
The mission of the Kansas Department of Agriculture is to serve the farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses of Kansas as well as the customers they serve. One of the ways we are achieving this is through workforce development, specifically at the secondary level of education. Providing students an opportunity to explore careers through work-based learning is paramount in determining if they will pursue that career after high school.
This booklet was developed as a quick reference guide for schools and industry to determine if a student can participate in the agribusiness practice. The information found in the following pages is taken directly from Department of Labor bulletins 101 and 102. KDA has condensed this information so that it may be used as a quick reference guide; it is not the official document for labor laws. For further clarification, please refer to the back page and contact the Department of Labor field office in Wichita, Kansas.
Kansas Labor Law Quick Reference Guide