MU Extension Works With Swine Industry, TN Visa Workers To Address Labor Shortages

LINDA GEIST

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI

 University of Missouri Extension specialists are working with the swine industry and temporary visa holders to help recruit, retain and develop agriculture professionals needed to address ongoing farm labor shortages.

The TN visa program was established in 1994 under the North American Free Trade Agreement. The “TN” designation, short for Treaty NAFTA, refers to a professional nonimmigrant classification now governed by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

TN visas allow U.S. employers to hire specialized agriculture professionals from Mexico and Canada. Unlike programs such as H-2A, which focus on seasonal farm labor, the TN visa program supports year-round professional positions. That’s an important advantage for swine operations that require consistent staffing, says Mag Lopez, a livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension who leads the project funded through checkoff dollars from the National Pork Board.

TN visa holders typically meet specific educational and professional requirements, Lopez says. “These workers are a unique and important part of the workforce, especially in livestock and particularly in swine production,” he says.

MU Extension state swine breeding specialist Tim Safranski says the work helps address persistent labor shortages in rural swine-producing areas while supporting profitability and animal health.

MU Extension’s efforts began with a bilingual survey of about 260 TN visa workers in major hog-producing states. Missouri ranks seventh nationally in pork production, producing about 3.5 million head annually and employing more than 22,000 people, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Swine producers make a significant investment by securing jobs, housing and transportation for TN visa holders before their arrival, Lopez says. As a result, turnover can be costly and disruptive.

Turnover affects both profitability and animal well-being. A 2021 study by Nicholas Black and Andreia Arruda reported 152 turnover events across two commercial swine farm systems, with an average annual turnover rate of 92% for full-time positions. That means almost nine out of 10 employees were replaced within a single year.

“MU Extension is dedicated to making the onboarding and retention process smooth for the employer and employee to reduce turnover costs,” Lopez says. Retaining TN visa workers is a key part of that effort.

Part of the work focuses on reducing language barriers between employers, TN visa workers and local employees. A large portion of the current swine workforce relies on immigrant labor, with an estimated 70% of employees foreign-born, mostly Hispanic, according to a 2023 study by Heather Vaughn and Yolanda Rosales. Specifically, TN visa workers make up about 40% of the swine labor force, compared with about 55% of agricultural laborers who are of Mexican origin.

To address communication challenges, MU Extension has developed Spanish-language presentations for Missouri pork producers and plans to create training videos for TN visa workers based on standard operating procedures. The goal is to set clear expectations and reduce misunderstandings.

Lopez and Safranski also help producers better understand the backgrounds of TN visa workers, which can lead to smoother onboarding and easier transitions into new work environments.

Survey results show that:

• More than 87% of TN visa agriculture workers hold at least a bachelor’s degree, and 10% hold master’s degrees. Canadian workers often arrive with more specialized degrees.
• While highly educated, many earned their degrees in institutions where English was not the primary language.
• Most swine industry TN visa workers are male, move to the U.S. in their 30s and come from rural backgrounds. More than half have lived in the United States for three to six years.

“You can’t train these workers the same way you train others,” Lopez says. “Where they come from influences how you manage.”

MU Extension also works with employers and employees to improve understanding of cultural differences that support job satisfaction and community integration.

“They want a better life,” Lopez says. “And helping them succeed contributes to a more sustainable and profitable U.S. swine industry.”

For more information about the TN visa program, visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.   ∆

LINDA GEIST

UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI