Who will do the work? Large dairies struggle to secure labor

ZISK
2 hours ago
1 min read

For decades, milking families have quietly wondered around kitchen tables and grandstanding politicians have obnoxiously made excuses for their actions and votes, each focused on the same topic: labor.

The Montana Stockgrowers Association hosted an Ag Labor Summit recently. Eastern South Dakota’s Drumgoon Dairy, a 6,500 head operation panicked as the U.S. Homeland Security deported over half of its labor force about nine months ago.

Drumgoon Dairy, big enough to be considered a “mega-dairy” is actually owned and operated by an immigrant couple. in 2006, Rodney and Dorothy Elliott left northern Ireland for the less-regulated dreamland of South Dakota, they said in a recent ‘Dairy Herd Management’ story. After losing 38 workers and maintaining just 12, the remaining employees worked nearly around the clock for a time, until more help could be found.

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