Combatting labour shortages in dairy – encouraging US youth

During the Dairy Dash event, students teamed up to learn about cow care and farming practices in a hands-on way. Photo: Canva

Like other branches of agriculture in North America, dairy farming is suffering from a severe labour shortage. However, a US apprentice programme, rolled out in just 1 state so far, is aiming to mitigate this serious problem.

The first 2 graduates of the Dairy Herd Manager Apprenticeship programme in Pennsylvania, one young woman and one young man, graduated during the summer of 2024 and have obtained management positions. Other apprentices will graduate soon. Run by the state’s Center for Dairy Excellence, this first-of-its-kind initiative has a rolling admission system.

The programme places applicants on farms across the state — primarily smaller, family-run businesses — for 18-month training stints. Apprentices, who learn how to conduct oversight of a farm’s entire herd must be at least 18 and have a high school diploma or equivalent. They complete at least 3,000 hours of paid, on-site training and receive technical instruction off the farm as well. Their wages increase as they progress through the programme.

A pre-apprenticeship programme is also in place which prepares high school students in their last 2 years to apply for this apprenticeship programme.

Dairy grazing

In addition, the national ‘Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship’ programme started in Wisconsin 15 years ago is entering its third year in Pennsylvania. It’s a 2-year programme where farmers experienced with grazing, known as mentor graziers, provide a guided pathway for apprentices toward managing or starting a pastured dairy farm. It includes 3,700 hours of on-the-job training and 300 hours of related technical instruction on pasture management, farm business management, milk quality, herd health and nutrition, soil nutrients and composting, and holistic management.

Drinking more milk

Meanwhile, in the state of Nebraska, a partnership between dairy farmers and an athletics firm is expanding to promote youth to consumer more dairy products. At the University of Nebraska this past fall, for example, members and staff of the Midwest Dairy Association participated in numerous campus events including a Wellness Fest.

During the Dairy Dash event, students teamed up to learn about cow care and farming practices in a hands-on way. The game is said to involve a pair of students playing the roles of a dairy cow and a dairy farmer, completing 4 challenges that represented caring for the cow. These challenges showed how dairy farmers regulate cows’ temperatures, feed and milk them and keep them comfy with proper bedding.

The event was a huge success. According to Midwest Dairy, which noted that “students lined up the whole night to wait to play, watch others play and learn more about the industry”.

Nationally, a few months ago the US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service announced the launch of the Organic Dairy Product Promotion programme, which allocates US$15 million (€14.58) to expand access to organic dairy products in educational institutions and youth programmes.