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Five guest speakers will provide insight at the events from Jan. 18-21 in Michigan.

January 10, 2022

2 Min Read
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FARM LABOR: Four upcoming labor sessions are designed to help farm managers understand what options are available to solve challenges.Jennifer Kiel

From finding ag labor to understanding your farm's compliance, the law firm Varnum LLP, Michigan Farm Bureau and Great Lakes Ag Labor Services are teaming up to host four ag employer labor sessions this month.

The events are $50 per farm or free for Agricultural Employment Compliance Guide subscribers and include lunch.

You can register here.

From Jan. 18-21, the sessions will focus on what’s new in the ag labor market, what to expect from the second year of the Biden administration, immigration and ag labor reform initiatives in Congress, OSHA and MIOSHA compliance, H-2A service models, and training for farm managers and supervisors.

Guest speakers include Kim Clarke, attorney at Varnum; Kristiana Coutu, attorney at Varnum; Sarah Black, general manager at Great Lakes Ag Labor Services; John Kran, national legislative counsel with Michigan Farm Bureau; and Misty DeBoer, operations manager at Great Lakes Ag Labor Services.

“Labor continues to be the No. 1 challenge facing most farms today, and these sessions will really help farms understand what options are available to solve that challenge,” Black says.

“In addition to learning what’s new on the legislative and regulatory front, we’ll also showcase a great resource — the Agricultural Employment Compliance Guide, an online resource developed by Varnum and GLALS that provides up-to-date information on federal and state laws that impact farm employers, customizable templates and downloadable forms and resources, and includes practical tips on everyday employment issues for Michigan farmers.”

GLALS is ag labor agency focused on H-2A or seasonal visas. The service helps farmers find workers with the right skill sets, arranging for the workers’ consulate appointments and transportation to the farm. Customers of the program are invited to stay after the main session for H-2A services and compliance review discussion.

Seminar times

Here is the schedule for the seminars:

Tuesday, Jan. 18. Traverse City, Cambria Suites

Wednesday, Jan. 19. Lawrence, Van Buren ISD Conference Center

Thursday, Jan. 20. Hudsonville, Pinnacle Center

Friday, Jan. 21. Novi, Varnum LLP with a virtual option

Source: MFB, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

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