Becoming the Employer of Choice - Vegetable Farmers

Motivating and managing employees is essential to many diversified vegetable farms, and rare is the farmer who comes to this profession with those labor management skills in tow. The BTEC for Vegetable Farmers program is designed to support both farm owners and experienced farm managers who are eager to strengthen their hiring, supervision, and employee relations skills. Research-based techniques and real-world examples make this program highly practical, and peer-to-peer discussion is a core part of each session. 

"This work is so important, and it was so validating to hear others say that it is indeed hard work to be a good employer! Even those of us who put a ton of thought into management can learn from this program. We all have areas where we can improve, and I'm walking away with fantastic tips and ideas that I will definitely use." - 2024 BTEC participant

Please be prepared to attend with your camera on and ready to engage in discussion with your farmer peers. All Sessions are on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:00 to 11:00 AM Central Time and will be recorded.

Dates and Topics:

• November 7: Farm Business Culture
• November 11: Building an Effective Hiring Process
• November 14: Strategic Leadership
• November 18: Developing a Motivated Workforce
• November 21: Open discussion session
• November 25: Onboarding and Training
• December 2: Reviews and Feedback
• December 5: Developing Intercultural Competence
• December 9: Managing Conflict

Trainers:

• David Bachhuber, Lovefood Farm
• Katrina Becker, Cattail Organics
• Katie Bishop, PrairiErth Farm
• Stacey Botsford, Red Door Family Farm
• Kristen Kordet, Blue Moon Community Farm
• Michelle Week, Good Rain Farm (X̌ast Sq̓it)
• Cassie Wyss, Crossroads Community Farm
• Sarah Janes Ugoretz, UW-Madison Extension + FairShare CSA Coalition

An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.

To ensure equal access to programs, please make requests for reasonable accommodations at least 10 days prior to the program. To request an accommodation, including language interpretation, contact: Sarah Janes Ugoretz at 608-234-1561 or email sarah.janesugoretz@wisc.edu