Farm owners in Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota employed 47,000 agricultural workers during the week of April 12-18. According to the latest farm labor report, the average number of hours worked per employee was 37.1, with the average wage rate for all hired agricultural workers at $12.43 per hour.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture says this is the second highest April wage rate since estimates began in 1989.
During the survey week, farmers in Wisconsin were very busy preparing farm equipment for planting and hauling manure. An employee is classified as a livestock worker if they tend livestock, milk cows, care for poultry, or operate machinery on livestock farms.
Livestock workers in the region earned an average of $12.03 per hour during the reference week. Field workers in the Lake Region averaged $11.50 per hour during the April reference week.
Nationally, the average number of hours worked for all hired workers was 39.9. Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $12.27 per hour. Field workers earned an average of $11.34 per hour, while livestock workers averaged $11.58 per hour.
Source: Wisconsin Ag Connection
