Dairy Managers, Others Attend Hispanic Workforce Management Conference DAVE LEFEVER Lancaster Farming Staff GRANTVILLE (Dauphin Co.) The Spanish-speaking work force is growing rapidly on dairy farms and other agricultural op erations in the area. A common experience among farm managers is that Hispanics Program Provides Market Opportunities PHILADELPHIA—Farm to City has launched its 2003 direct marketing programs. This Phila delphia-based organization con nects farmers to customers through farmer’s markets, CSAs, and its Winter Harvest program. Last year, Farm to City’s pro grams resulted in more than half a million dollars in sales by southeast Pennsylvania and south Jersey producers. Farmer’s Markets. This year Farm to City plans to operate 10 fanners’s markets located in neighborhoods throughout Phila delphia. These outdoor markets will start in late May and early June and run weekly through Oc tober, some into November. Sev eral are established markets needing specialty growers. Others are new markets this year seek ing vegetable grower and or chards. Farmers come to these markets to sell what they pro duce. Some of the markets will fol low the example of the very suc cessful Girard and 13th Street market that matched produce growers with a barbecue stand. This year, if all goes as planned, there will be five locations for this type of market and there is room at all of them for vegetable grow ers and orchards. Bob Pierson, program director of Farm to City, observes, “the smell of chicken cooking in a neighborhood is a very strong draw. Our Girard and 13th Street market is the most successful market we have ever opened in Philadelphia.” Pierson has planned and operated 14 farmers markets since 1996. One of the markets in West Philadelphia and another in Ger mantown offer indoor space year-round in addition to an outdoor market during the warmer months. These markets need produc ers growing a wide range of fresh and pre pared foods to sell year-round • CSA services. Farm to City also of fers support to CSA fanners to help them get a following in Phil adelphia. “When we got started in 2000,” Pierson said, “there were very few CSA shares sold in Phila delphia because it was very difficult for farm ers to market them.” In 2001, Farm to City helped farmers sell 240 shares; last year 313 shares were sold, more than 10 times the number of shares de livered before 2000. •Winter Harvest. “Right now, it’s Win ter Harvest time,” said Pierson. Winter Har vest is a buying club in which its members - order from a list of 220 locally-produced items for weekly delivery to eight Philadelphia area communities. “Winter Harvest is a are loyal and hard-working, but tend to be reluctant when it comes to accepting supervisory roles. That was one of the main top ics addressed this week at a con ference called “Managing the Hispanic Workforce” put on jointly by Penn State and Cornell Universities. RASA board member Paul Hauser points out the virtues of his peaches to customers at the South and Passyunk Farmers’ Market in Philadelphia. way for all that good food from nearby farms to come into the city when the farmer’s markets and CSAs are shut down for the season,” Pierson said. About 20 producers participate in Winter Harvest. Farm to City is cooperating with the Pennsylvania Associa- Randall G. Renninger Certified Public Accountant Specializing in agriculture and construction industries “We help business people discover ways to cut costs, save taxes, and be more profitable” Call about our FREE seminars 535 W. Orange Street, Lancaster, PA 17603 (717) 299-6480 ♦ Fax (717) 299-6390 Fabricators of Galvanized Barn Equipment About 90 people attended, in cluding dairy farmers, mushroom growers, and packing plant rep resentatives. Jorge Estrada, a native of Guatemala and president of a leadership development firm based in Washington state, was one of the speakers throughout the two-day conference. Estrada tion of Sustainable Agriculture, Foodßoutes, and Philadelphia food advocacy groups on a “Buy Local, Buy Fresh” "" campaign, which will be applied to farmer’s mar kets, CSAs, and sales to restaurants this spring and summer. said that he has assisted in a vari ety of cases where Hispanics were successfully promoted into man ager positions on North Ameri can farms. “Yes, it is happening,” Estrada said. He calls his program “De veloping Supervisors from With in.” Herd expansions and the growth of the workforce are mak ing it increasingly necessary for employees to step into superviso ry roles, Estrada pointed out. Grooming workers for manage ment positions can also allow greater flexibility in the farm op eration and in lifestyles. “Don’t you want to have a family life? Don’t you want some vacation time?” Estrada asked, naming some of the reasons for dividing management responsi bilities on a farm operation. Estrada and other speakers at the conference explored some of the cultural dynamics that can help or hinder in managing His panic workers and coaching po tential leaders for supervisory roles. Angelo Mino, a native of Ecua dor, spoke on the high value placed by many Hispanic work ers on their families, native coun try, and beliefs. He urged em ployers to welcome, respect, and support Hispanic workers by con necting in these areas, and by providing them with constant learning opportunities. Large dairies often require a huge labor force. How do dairies deal with communication management issues involving Hispanic labor? What are the challenges other producers have faced and what are their suggestions? See the next issue of Lancaster Farming's Dairy Plus, geared toward large-scale dairy operations, in the Feb. 15 issue. Also scheduled: news from the Penn State Hispanic Workforce Management Conference and what's required for the survival of the Northeast dairy industry. MAGISTRAL™ - For Men Onlyl *ss* fUiLfEli 11 iW fHovo To* Motlcad Any of Those Signs - Yot? • Inctcsed Urinary Frequency and Urgency - fspeca/ty at N,gr/' Palmetto • Vording is Slow, ncompiete, and Sometimes Po-nful or Sitting? Palm 60% of Men Over 40 Hove on fntorged Prostote - and may nol know it> An enlarged prostate con turn into something more serious ACT NOW, rather than later > Magistral is a fas! acting, soft Herbd Tonic token by 20,0(104- Conodtons to alleviate or prevent prostate problems. CoH Canada HeaHh (or fra* farfoPodc MO-775-1335 STEEL BALE BOXES Jorge Estrada helps farm managers groom Spanish speaking employees for su pervisory roles. “If you want to keep me forev er working for you, create a chal lenge for me,” said Mino, presi dent of Summit Counseling Services, Lenexa, Kan. Other speakers included Thomas Maloney and David Grusenmeyer of Cornell, Richard Ship and Vinton Smith of Penn State, and attorneys who spoke on handling naturalization issues with Hispanic workers. More reports on the conference and on Hispanic workers on dairy farms is scheduled for Lan caster farming's Feb. 15 issue of Dairy Plus.
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