Spanish-speaking individuals within the U.S. dairy industry: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Spanish-speaking caretakers currently serve, and will continue to function, in roles essential for the sustainability and long-term success of United States (U.S.) animal production industries. Specifically, Latinx individuals have stepped up to fill labor shortages in the U.S. dairy industry and an estimated 62% of the U.S. milk supply comes from farms that employ foreign-born labor. Multilingual working environments presents unique challenges and considerations for caretaker well-being and farm success. Farm infrastructure must work toward ensuring the health and safety of a diverse, multicultural, and multilingual workforce. This overview outlines the current role of Spanish-speaking individuals working in the U.S. dairy industry, identifies current challenges that must be thoughtfully addressed as the agricultural workforce continues to diversify, and highlights opportunities for improvement specific to this subpopulation.