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Ag employers try recruiting on campus

With more unfilled jobs than available workers, employers in the ag sector are taking their recruiting on-campus.

Mariah Giraud is an employment specialist with Synergy Cooperative in northwestern Wisconsin.  She tells Brownfield students can finish the semester and go into sales, driving, or a number of other opportunities. “We’re always a little short on staff, especially seasonal positions. That’s always harder to fill, getting somebody to come out and work a couple of months and long hours, but we’re doing the best we can. We’re getting quite a few.”

Giraud says talking to students during the University of Wisconsin River Falls Ag Day on Campus was productive. “We’ve got a couple that were interested in different positions. We got some nutritionists, some truck driving candidates, and agronomist sales was another big one.”

Katie Leonard is a recruiter for Twin Cities-based Gerten’s Greenhouse and Spikes and Houles, the company’s feed, seed, and pet supply division. “Ideally, we start looking for seasonal help in March and April because the busiest time of year is that spring season, and then we do have some positions that go through the summertime.”

Leonard tells Brownfield events like the University of Wisconsin River Falls Ag Day on Campus is a great opportunity to meet candidates, and she says many of the agriculture students would fit right in for seasonal work, internships, and long-term career development. “Animal science is a great intern for Spikes and Houles when it comes to that. Horticulture, ag, ag business, soil science, kind of any of the agriculture, horticulture, animal science realm.”

The recruiters say the need for workers is strong as the busy season gets underway.