My son is going to college. I relied on his help in our hog operation and must replace him. Where is the best place to find part-time help? What should I pay?

The Profit Planners panel includes David Erickson, farmer, Altona, Ill.; Mark Evans, Purdue Extension educator, Putnam County, Ind.; Jim Luzar, retired Purdue Extension educator and landowner, Greencastle, Ind.; and Steve Myers, farm manager with Busey Ag Resources, LeRoy, Ill.

Erickson: Your local high school ag/FFA students or nearby community college students might be good places to start. You may find students directly or through referral. Be willing to train and spend some time developing these new hires. However, you might not need to retrain to replace bad habits developed from other experiences.

Hourly wage will need to be competitive with other local opportunities. Plan on paying more than minimum wage. If you find the right person, negotiate wage.

Evans: The best approach will vary from person to person. Word-of-mouth and acquaintances would probably be the best initial effort. Consider your FFA and 4-H educators and volunteers locally to determine if there is a youth seeking livestock swine experiences. If you attend church or participate in local service organizations, those may have opportunities for connections.

Given that fast-food wages are at $13 to $16 per hour, one would have to match or better those numbers. Experience should be rewarded with pay, and incentives should be used to bring one along for continued improvement. 

Luzar: The current tight labor market suggests you may have to reach out to several different contacts to secure a candidate. A local agriculture community college may be one opportunity. Connecting with the agriculture department may provide a lead, as some students do not live on a farm and would relish the chance to have some farm work experiences. Your local high school agriculture program may provide candidates. Leverage your networking with church and community contacts.

Compensation must be competitive for your local area. Areas with fewer work opportunities may need to approach wages paid at fast-food establishments. If you farm in a tight labor market, you may be looking at something around $15 per hour.

Finding a candidate will not be as challenging as keeping an employee. To enhance retention, think about what you want this employee to accomplish and create a job description. Having a performance evaluation in mind before the person starts can help you set expectations and enhance communication needed to supervise a non-family employee.

Myers: Great question and a common lament currently. I suggest seeking creative, individual local talent of all age groups starting at the local vocational-agriculture/FFA programs or 4-H clubs. Perhaps have your son make suggestions, along with any connections you have within your circle, whether that be church or a coffee shop. Certainly, local ads, via newspaper or social media, may identify worthy candidates.

Pay? Be prepared to dig deeper due to a tight labor market and the expected responsibility or job description. Be open and be flexible.

Editor’s note: How tight is the labor market? A Facebook post this summer begged for haymaking help, offering $20 per hour! I put up hay for $1 per hour and was over the moon when my boss, a neighboring farmer, raised it to $1.25! That was in 1971. — Tom J. Bechman