Dairy Labor Certificate Course Sponsored by Ohio State University Extension

Dr. Chris Zoller, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Tuscarawas County, The Ohio State University

Dairy farm labor is one of the major costs of production, and farm labor is regularly described as an area of concern by dairy farmers. Therefore, Ohio State University is providing a certificate course to assist dairy farm owners and managers with labor management on farms. This course will provide opportunities for participants to examine labor costs, define labor needs, examine hiring processes, promote relationships among farm workers, increase retention, and identify ways to promote employee well-being.

Structure

This five-week course will be held weekly on Tuesdays from 12:30 to 2:00 pm in January and February 2021. All attendees will be registered with ScarletCanvas, an online platform by The Ohio State University. Materials relative to each topic will be posted there for use by attendees. Because of its virtual format, you do not have to travel to participate and learn very important topics by experts in the dairy and associated industries.  Presenters from Ohio State University Extension, Michigan State University Extension, Iowa State University Extension, Cornell University Extension, and private industry will teach the program. Weekly assignments will be given, and interactive discussion will be important for the success of the program. Certificates will be provided to participants completing this program.

Dates and Topics

  • January 12, 2021
    • Labor Management Benchmarks
    • So, You Need to Hire Someone – Developing the job description  
  • January 19, 2021
    • Recruiting Employees
    • Immigrate Labor
  • January 26, 2021
    • Conducting an Interview 
    • You’re Hired, now what? Building Success from Day One
  • February 2, 2021
    • Building Long-Term Relationships and Team Meetings
    • Conflict Management
  • February 9, 2021
    • Labor Laws
    • Farm Safety

Registration Details

The cost of the program is $75 per person and is limited to the first 30 people who register. For additional information, please see https://dairy.osu.edu/ or contact Chris Zoller, OSU Extension Educator, at 330-827-0249.  Registration deadline is Friday, December 18.

(This article was originally published in Farm and Dairy)