At farms across Clay County, work is done not only by the farmers and local employees, but by those who have traveled from far countries away. With a federal H-2A visa, a temporary federal visa for agricultural work, temporary ag employees can spend up to 10 months in the U.S. to fill a labor void. 

Though the program has been around for years, it’s increased by 67% in the last five years, that’s over 300,000 international farm hands annually.

“It’s become pretty imperative to have them,” said farmer Shawn Taddiken. “I rely on them, a lot of ranches and farms do.” 

Taddiken, who runs a mid-sized family farm, with his wife, Nicolette, utilizes both American and foreign labor year-round. However, he especially relies on foreign help during busy seasons, with either one or two Brazilian employees on-site.

“It’s very difficult to find skilled guys locally that are willing to sit in that seat,” he said. “Every business I think has that problem, it’s not just farming.” 

In total, his farm has one full-time employee and three part-time workers, in addition to his immediate family and his father, who is retired but still helps at the farm. 

He said it’s a problem he began addressing about five years ago with foreign farm labor. He and Nicolette signed up through a firm that helps facilitate paperwork and match employees. He said there are several program options, some more reputable than others, but for them it’s been a must to use a firm, who keeps them updated on legislation and paperwork needs. 

“I don’t recommend doing it on your own,” he said. “It’s two weeks of office time trying to navigate it all, and that’s with help; we just don’t have that skillset or time as a farmer. The amount of paperwork is unbelievable.”

Taddiken said he believes the temp program is a great way to bridge the labor shortage in ag, especially as older farmers retire. 

“There’s a massive shortage in ag and using this, we can still have operators in the seat,” he said. “We can’t be everywhere at once and still need people to help.” 

Since using the program, Taddiken has brought in four employees from Brazil, a country known for its agriculture. That has included some repeat workers. He’s also had other farmers recommend foreign workers, while the employees themselves discuss which farms to join and which ones to avoid. 

Though there is no minimum wage in agriculture, the program creates a minimum per state, with Kansas being on the higher end.

“They want to be in Kansas,” he said. “Mississippi and Arkansas have better weather, but their pay is lower.” On average, those states are between $3 and $5 per hour lower, while Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, and the Dakotas offer around $19-$20 an hour. 

Meanwhile, each farmer guarantees a minimum number of hours, which usually sits at 40. However, some are looking for more than 40 per week, he said. In addition, the farmer provides housing, which is federally inspected each year. 

There are also strict rules, like the farm help can’t be hired out. For instance, if a neighbor farmer needed extra hands, using the visa employees would technically be labeled as human trafficking. 

“It gets really sticky,” Taddiken said. “We have to be really careful.” 

Plane tickets also come out of the farmer’s pocket. However, some do bring their families if there’s space to stay, which comes out of the employee’s budget. 

Taddiken said he has had workers come with their spouse and kids, which he and neighbors enjoy.

“I think it’s a benefit of the community if you can have them in the schools and church,” he said. “So long as you have adequate lodging, they can stay.” From signing up for youth sports to trying new foods, he called it an interesting cultural experience for all, including his six kids. 

“It’s pretty interesting to watch them together.” He added that the Brazilian kids quickly improved their English skills, while a local religious worker, Sister Alesandro, or Sister Ally, traveled twice a week to speak Portuguese and spend time with the family. 

“She helped them find resources; it was a really neat connection,” he said. “The world becomes a really small place in a hurry.” 

While on-site, Brazilian workers become a part of the community by joining baseball leagues, having their kids go to school, or attending church. 

“Everybody knows who these guys are and they try to take care of them,” he said. “It’s pretty incredible. People around town really try to take care of them.” 

Meanwhile, Taddiken spent a year at K-State studying Spanish, anticipating the need in his future career, but had no Portuguese background. 

“I never anticipated it, it’s a rough language to learn,” he said. His employees have been between 50-90% proficient in English, and said they make it work no matter what. One method to improve communication is by video chats vs. talking on the phone. 

However, there are still cultural differences, he said. Like an employee who hit a deer mid-summer and put it in the back of the truck, not wanting to waste the meat. Taddiken had to tell him he couldn’t travel with the deer, and that the meat was spoiled. 

Another difference is how they prefer to sleep, he said. During one house check, a federal employee said there wasn’t enough space between the beds. Despite there being four bedrooms in the provided house, the family had put all beds in one room.

“It’s just a cultural thing, that’s how they do it,” he said. “I had to tell the inspector they wanted it that way.”  

Another part of the program is to advertise for work locally and document that search. Taddiken said this, in part, is due to the misinformation that H-2A employees take American jobs. In contrast, he said there is simply a shortage of skilled farm workers.

“It would be much easier to hire local people if they were available,” he said. “If an American comes and is qualified, I would have to let them go. That’s never happened and it’s never going to happen because those guys simply don’t exist.” 

As far as personnel management or if there is a disagreement between workers, Taddiken said it’s no different than managing American employees. But other issues will arise, like an employee trying to get their green card, which is a three-year application. Other Brazilian farmers have joined the National Guard, which immediately grants them citizenship with a four-year commitment. 

“They’re very passionate and family oriented,” he said. Adding that most send their paychecks home, minus grocery funds and a small amount of hobby funds. H-2A workers do not have withholding tax taken out of their pay either. “In all actually they have a pretty good setup.” 

The Taddiken farm is just one who utilizes the temporary ag help program. 

“I would encourage people to look into this thing,” he said. “We’re all hurting for labor; it’s not simple but it’s a solution to the problems we’re all facing.”