The author is a freelance writer based in Rockford, Ill.
As trailside Holsteins grew, so did owner Michael Johnson’s need for employees. Longer, more frequent shifts at the dairy called for more hands on deck — and not just any hands. Johnson sought workers who had a background in agriculture, who shared his family’s farming values, and who could be depended on to give it their all each and every day.
One of Johnson’s first nonfamily hires was Sasamo, an immigrant and agricultural worker from Mexico. Sasamo helped Johnson and his team meet and hire more Hispanic employees, and Trailside Holsteins, located near Fountain, Minn., flourished.
“I wanted to grow and reach new levels, and I knew I couldn’t do that by myself,” Johnson said on an episode of the GPS “DairyCAST” podcast. “Managing people is very different from managing cows. But I didn’t want to look at bringing on new employees as a stressor. I wanted to look at it as an asset.”
Seeing it firsthand
During his conversation with Stephanie Jens of GPS Dairy Consulting, Johnson shared how a trip to Mexico with the nonprofit organization Puentes shaped how he approaches cross-cultural barriers such as language, workplace hierarchy, and productivity.
Puentes (“bridges” in English) was founded in 2003 out of a desire to bridge the gap between Hispanic employees and the farmers they work for. Their organized group trips to Mexico are part immersion, part connection: farmers and community members from Wisconsin and Minnesota visit the families of local Hispanic workers, and, in this way, gain a greater understanding of the place and culture from which their immigrant neighbors come.
Johnson cited his 2023 trip with Puentes as an eye opener to some cultural differences between he and his Hispanic employees. For example, during conversations with ag workers in Hidalgo, he learned of the discomfort associated with workplace hierarchy. “No one is the boss,” they said, which explained the issue Johnson had had with convincing workers to step into managerial roles.
Additionally, it is common in Hispanic families for family members young and old to be taken care of at home, rather than in day cares or senior living facilities. Work for his Hispanic employees, Johnson learned, is about family, and family, in turn, is about work. If one cannot support their loved ones by staying, they will do so by leaving.
Work hard, play hard
Perhaps the most challenging difference to embrace was that of Trailside Holsteins’ Americanized hyper-productivity compared to that of Hispanic farms — while equally hardworking, workers in Mexico far supersede workers in America when it comes to celebration.
Upon seeing firsthand the extensive festivals put on by Hispanic families he visited, Johnson realized implementing such opportunities for his employees in Minnesota would only benefit workplace morale. He began organizing bowling trips and conducting regular meetings at which employees were invited to share their stories and successes through translated sit-down conversations.
Not every farmer will have the opportunity to leave their operation and embark on an immersive journey to learn more about where their employees come from, but a little goes a long way. Providing a translator, inviting individuals to share about their experiences, and hosting opportunities for cross-cultural learning are just some of the ways employers may improve the experiences of their workers.
If you have employees who are curious about their rights as ag workers or as immigrants, or if they have questions about healthcare, English Language Learning, or community services, Puentes’ website (www.puentesbridges.org/) includes links to these topics and more.
Puentes continues to conduct trips to Mexico for farmers and community members. Visit their website to learn more about their mission and to get involved.
