We already know that Wisconsin agriculture needs workers. But it’s not just bodies the industry needs — it’s folks who are highly trained, according to the Wisconsin Agricultural Education and Workforce Development Council’s 2023 annual report.
WAEWDC’s job is to make recommendations on how to grow the state’s agricultural workforce.
The council’s report outlines that Wisconsin ag is becoming more technologically advanced. It needs a labor force that can manage the complex agriculture systems that are emerging in the industry. These advanced systems cover areas such as robotics, digital sensors and satellite imagery.
“As agriculture expands into new areas, career possibilities grow,” says Department of Workforce Development Secretary Amy Pechacek. “To attract young talent, we need to promote employment opportunities and work with partners to develop career pathways that maintain a thriving agricultural sector, which accounts for nearly 12 percent of the state’s employment.”
Pechacek is one of the council’s executive committee members as well as DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski.
“About one in nine people working in the state have a job related to the agriculture industry,” Romanski says. “The work of this council is important to the future of the agriculture industry, because right now future producers, processors, haulers, and retailers are in classrooms across the state.”
The council is making progress on its goals that were set in 2022. These include:
- Supporting agricultural education instructors and finding effective ways to reach every student to highlight the opportunities available in agriculture in a positive, purposeful way.
- Partnering with DPI to create a statewide agriculture pathway, with regional adoption in the spring of 2023.
- Researching current trends, and developing a branding, marketing, and public outreach plan for careers in agriculture.
Read the report: https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/waewdc/pdf/reports/2023-waewdc-annual-report.pdf