Building and maintaining a stable and skilled workforce is one of the biggest priorities for farm owners or managers. Without the right people, your farm cannot thrive. But to attract the right people, you need to create a welcoming and inclusive workplace—a place where people of different genders, religions, nationalities, cultures, sexual orientations, languages, and abilities can feel comfortable, respected, and valued.

Supporting workplace diversity goes beyond simply observing legal and policy requirements. A diverse workplace is one where people:

• respect one another’s differences;
• appreciate the contribution each person makes;
• try to understand different perspectives; and
• try to include everyone in social and work-related activities.

Farmers who can make workers of all types feel welcome in the workplace will have a business advantage over those who do not. Some benefits include:

• Attracting new or untapped communities of job seekers
• Improving employee satisfaction and performance
• Avoiding costly legal or regulatory issues
• Enhancing the farm’s reputation in the community
• Reducing costly and disruptive turnover

This guide helps agricultural employers understand some of the issues related to workplace diversity and take steps to achieve a more inclusive workplace.

This module will help you…

• Create a more accepting workplace
• Avoid discrimination and legal issues
• Attract a wider range of job applicants
• Develop a diversity program 
• Identify hidden biases in the workplace