Agricultural workers are a critical part of the United States economy, and their efforts enable American consumers to maintain access to a stable source of domestically-produced food.
However, the domestic farm labor supply is declining, and agricultural employers are concerned about the increased prevalence of labor shortages. Farm wages are rising, but they still lag behind those of some competing sectors, adding to the labor supply pressures of an increasingly settled and aging, predominantly foreign-born workforce.
Labor scarcity is reshaping the agricultural production landscape, creating more dependence on imported foods and affecting rural communities, yet policy solutions remain elusive. Are the current trends sustainable and what do they mean for US food security?
Join this one-day conference to learn from local and national farm labor experts in academia, government agencies, and industry groups about Farm Labor Scarcity and Food Security in the United States.
Details
When: November 6 - 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Registration Deadline: October 7 – 12 a.m.
Where: MSU University Club, 3435 Forest Road, Lansing, MI 48910 (Heritage Room)
This conference is financially supported by a cooperative research grant through the United States Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Chief Economist (award number 58-0111-23-002), the Stephen B. and Karen L. Harsh Agribusiness Outreach Endowment, and the Elton R. Smith Chair in Food and Agricultural Policy at Michigan State University.
While there is no charge for attending, pre-registration is required.
Tentative Agenda - subject to change
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8-9 a.m.
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Breakfast/Coffee
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9:00 a.m.
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Early Morning Session – Intro and Keynote
Matt Daum, MSU
Zach Rutledge, MSU
Phil Martin, University of California - Davis
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9:40 a.m.
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Coffee Break
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10:00 a.m.
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Late Morning Panel (20-minute talks)
Timothy Richards, Arizona State University
Alejandro Gutierrez-Li
Diane Charlton, Montana State University
Alexandra Hill, Colorado State University
Margaret Jodlowski, Ohio State University
Panel Discussion
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12:00 p.m.
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Lunch and Poster Session
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1:00 p.m.
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Early Afternoon Panel (20-minute talks)
Tim Boring, MDARD
Andrew Padovani, JBS Internationa
Hugo Pantoja, Michigan Department of LEO
Marcelo Castillo, USDA-ERS
Panel Discussion
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2:40 p.m.
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Refreshment Break
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3:00 p.m.
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Late Afternoon Panel (20-minute talks)
Travis Douce
Sarah Black, Great Lakes Ag Labor Services
Jamie Clover Adams, Michigan Asparagus Advisory Board
Michael Marsh, NCAE
Daniel Oropeza
Panel Discussion
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5:00 p.m.
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Adjourn
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Lodging Reservations
Discounted rooms are available at the attached Candlewood Suites for a nightly rate of $99 per room until October 4 or until the block sells out, whichever occurs first.
Booking Online
Book with the group rate by using the room block code for the contracted dates by clicking https://www.ihg.com/candlewood/hotels/us/en/lansing/lanmu/hoteldetail
Click on Book Now, click on “View Prices”, click “Change Search”, click on drop down arrow for “Rate Preferences”, click on “Group Rate”, Enter “Group Code: FLM”, and select arrival and departure dates then search.
Booking By Phone
Call the Candlewood Suites at (517) 351-8181 and book with the group rate by using the code “FLM”
The conference is financially supported/sponsored by the Elton R. Smith Chair in Food and Agricultural Policy at Michigan State University and the USDA-NIFA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.
Register
Get Directions
For more information, contact Zach Rutledge, rutled83@msu.edu and Betsy Braid, braidbet@msu.edu.