The North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Agricultural Services & Foreign Labor section has started conducting the 2022/2023 Prevailing Wage and Practice Surveys. The results will provide an inside look at North Carolina’s prevailing wages and employment practices for agricultural jobs within the state by sector, which is useful information for those employers preparing agricultural job offers.
Agricultural employment is a complex undertaking that requires employers to consider not only which wage to offer, but also to factor in other services, such as providing transportation and housing, using farm labor contractors, etc. Access to prevailing wage and practice data can help farm employers competitively recruit and retain the best workers. Likewise, producers who are looking to expand their operation or diversify can benefit from reviewing survey reports to understand the regional employment trends they will need to conform with, in order to provide attractive employment opportunities.
The North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Agricultural Services & Foreign Labor Certification section helps collect prevailing wages and practice information about the number of U.S. workers; average productivity and earnings of piece rate workers; variables affecting rates and hiring practices; experience standards, and more. Prevailing practices are those practices engaged in by employers, that 50 percent or more of employers in an area and for an occupation engage in the practice or offer the benefit, which can include the provision of family housing, frequency of wage payments, providing advance transportation, and the utilization of labor contractors.
Sometimes, it can be a challenge to get farmers to participate in this survey. However, when there is sufficient participation, the results can offer producers meaningful insight into what their regional hiring trends are and help them know when a job order, wage, and position requirements will be acceptable under the federal Foreign Labor Certification program requirements.
Successful survey efforts depend on farmer participation; the greater the participation, the better the results.You can help us protect the integrity of our foreign labor certification program and provide a true representation of prevailing wages and practices in North Carolina.
The Agricultural Wage and Practice Surveys are typically done in person, but in hopes of reaching more respondents, we are partnering with NC State Extension to have a wider outreach. Please click the below link to access the survey. Completed surveys should be sent to: AgWageSurveys@commerce.nc.gov
