A Vision to Build Better Produce Workforce

I’ve spent most of my career around agriculture, including the last 15 years in the specialty crop industry as executive director of Equitable Food Initiative (EFI). Fresh produce has evolved rapidly in that span, with the introduction of new technologies and digital innovation, along with an increased emphasis on sustainability and the impacts of climate change.

But one constant remains: Produce is a people business that depends on everyone, from the grocers who sell fruits and vegetables to the workers who harvest them.

The best businesses recognize people are their greatest asset, so great employers build great places to work. But visionary industry leaders also recognize that a supply chain built on great places to work is the best way to guarantee long-term continuity of supply.

Our “people business” is challenged by an accelerating labor shortage, as an aging workforce and heightened immigration enforcement have made skilled specialty crop farmworkers harder to find. The number of H2A guestworkers has increased 300% since 2010, as employers scramble to replace scarce domestic workers. Meanwhile, labor cost as a share of gross farm income ranges from 20% to 35% in produce, compared to only 10% to 12% for other agricultural production, so produce growers are spending more on automation to get their harvest in.

Yet, no matter how much progress is made in technology, we are still decades away from robots replacing field workers in most specialty crops. And that means we need to invest in developing a workforce fully capable of interfacing with new technologies.

RECOGNIZE AND REWARD SKILL

Farm work is skilled labor: Witness the speed with which a strawberry harvester field-packs clamshells, factoring in the specific size and color requirements of different customers, while observing pesticide and food safety protocols. Those closest to the work usually have great ideas on how to increase efficiency and productivity, but often lack the necessary channels for sharing their insights. To attract and retain the workforce that will sustain our industry, we must start by recognizing their existing skills, building workplaces that encourage their input, and creating formal pathways to quality jobs and professional growth.

EFI was formed by a consortium of retail buyers, produce growers, farmworker unions and consumer advocates who are committed to developing win-win solutions that build stronger companies by improving working conditions for their employees.

We started by creating a rigorous farm certification program that requires the formation of a worker-manager collaboration team, trained in communication and problem-solving skills, that cultivates trust within the workforce, develops channels for sharing concerns and suggestions, and brings their farm into compliance with EFI standards. Together, we have seen the positive impact that systems for labor-management collaboration generate by improving working conditions, retention, culture and productivity.

BUILDING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

But since credible certification programs are not an option for every grower, EFI began exploring more scalable ways to build better agricultural workplaces, emphasizing the industry’s 2018 Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices. Among its 13 principles, the charter stresses the importance of professional conduct, strong management systems and communication and feedback channels.

EFI again took a multi-stakeholder approach to facilitate dialogue among retailers, suppliers and labor experts about how companies could demonstrate continuous improvement in their labor practices. This collaboration resulted in the 2023 launch of the Ethical Charter Implementation Program (ECIP), which supports growers and suppliers to learn about charter principles, assess and strengthen their own labor management systems, and benchmark their continuous improvement.

By prioritizing capacity-building over compliance-testing, ECIP is fast becoming an affordable workforce development tool for employers that also supports the risk management strategies of retail and foodservice buyers — a win-win opportunity to build better workplaces.

But the challenge is not just finding enough workers: Employers need the right workers, with the skills, insights and experience to drive efficiency and facilitate the introduction of new work processes and technologies.

SKILL CREDENTIALS

To help attract and retain this professional workforce, EFI is working with state agencies, employer associations, labor organizations and workforce development specialists in California to institutionalize a statewide process for documenting, assessing and credentialing agricultural skills.

Unlike other economic sectors, agriculture lacks a formal structure to recognize the competencies workers already have, or to chart career paths that progress toward better quality jobs by acquiring new skills. But stakeholder collaboration is establishing such a system in California and beyond.

We all share a common interest in making sure the produce industry can count on a stable, professional workforce for years to come.

We all share an interest in making sure the produce industry has a stable workforce for years to come.

As I step down as EFI’s executive director, my greatest hope is that visionary leaders will keep looking for new and creative ways to collaborate in building better workplaces and offering formal career pathways to attract and retain skilled labor that will sustain this vital industry into a successful future.

Peter O’Driscoll became the first executive director of the Equitable Food Initiative in 2011 and served through 2025. He continues to support the organization as a special projects manager.