Dairy Farm Labor Shortages, Adaptation Strategies and Preferences for Workforce Policy Options
DOWNLOADJune 22, 2026 - Zachariah Rutledge, David Ortega, Yingfei Xie, Anna Hooks, Barry Bradford and Phil Durst, Michigan State University Extension
Print
EmailAbout the Report
This outreach report summarizes findings from a Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture (M-AAA) funded research project on Great Lakes dairy farm labor shortages. The research examines how labor shortages affect dairy operations and which policy solutions producers believe would most effectively address the problem.
Key Takeaways
- Labor shortages remain one of the most significant operational challenges for dairy farms.
- Producers respond by reducing production, raising wages, and adopting labor-saving
- Policies that increase access to legally authorized workers, including access to the H-2A visa program, have the strongest support from
- Financial incentives and training programs are viewed as secondary solutions compared to farm labor policy
Overview of Project
- Conducted key stakeholder interviews to inform the development of a dairy farmer labor survey
- Designed a survey to elicit information about dairy labor shortages, adaptation strategies, and support for various labor policies
- Distributed the survey to dairy producers in the Great Lakes states
- Obtained more than 500 responses from dairy farmers
- Quantified the extent to which dairy farm labor shortages affect the adoption of key production and labor management practices
- Identified preferences for policy options that might resolve labor shortages
