farm hand wage

BigJohn23 · Nov 26, 2012

Hello,
This may or may not belong here and if it doesn"t I apologize. I am wondering what different areas of the country are paying for farm hands. I am talking a skilled hand that does everything from planting to harvesting, has vast mechanical knowledge and capable of anything from minor repairs to major overhauls. Employee has a cdl and knowledge of anything farm related. What kind of hourly wage or salary plus benefits are some of you paying or getting paid? Employee has been on the farm for 4 yrs and would like to keep him around but want what is fair for both employee and employer.

Old Bob · Nov 26, 2012

If your hired man can do all of the above, in my opinion I would do what it takes to keep him around. You did not mention one thing negative about this guy. Never had a hand with these qualifications.

JayinNY · Nov 26, 2012

Like old bob said, and I'll add, good help ain't cheap, and cheap help ain't good! I heard that from a guy I was working for at one time putting up party tents. If he's a good worker, take care of him,

Bill(Wis) · Nov 26, 2012

He's capable of a lot more on his own than you could ever pay him. Encourage him to get out on his own and "gitter done". You'll never get rich working for someone else although I've come damned close.

moresmoke · Nov 26, 2012

Around here (ND) someone like that should make $17 to $20 per hour. Some places pay comparable salary, some provide housing, adjust accordingly. Look at what else the guy could do in your area and what that pays.

Greg1959 · Nov 26, 2012

I would guess $35 to $70 per hour. My reason is, What would you pay for a "shop" mechanic to do the work?

big jt · Nov 26, 2012

I will agree with what some of the others have said about doing what you can to keep this guy on.

However I will take some argument with what is paid for shop rate as a suitable wage.

The man you are paying $35 to $70 a hour for shop work isn't taking anywhere near that home. Yes he does receive some beneis likely, but there are expenses involved in that shop rate that the employer is paying for. Think about the cost of the shop, keeping tools that are up to date, electric, heat, etc.

jm2cw

jt

retired farmer · Nov 26, 2012

Sounds like you are describing me. I have been working for the same guy for over eleven years for minimum wage. Absolutely no raises or benefits, seven days a week, 365 days a year, no vacations, and even make me pay rent to live on the property. Yet he buys expensive equipment and floats his three, over twenty one years of age kids who don't have jobs. Maybe I am stupid but I am not married and don't have any other place to be. Only good thing, they are easy to work for and I can do pretty much what I want.

notjustair · Nov 26, 2012

When I owned a business I paid GOOD help very well. I wanted them to want to stay and also for it to be known around that I paid well. That not only keeps good help around but helps good help looking for work to know that it would be worth asking. I put in lots of incentives as well. A rainy day earns more money. Harvest hours get a bonus, etc. That ensures that your help wants to be there when you really need them.

Headache is worth lots of money to me.

David G · Nov 26, 2012

I would guess at least 60-75K

showcrop · Nov 26, 2012

Talk to your accountant about what you can give him that he doesn't have to pay taxes on, that will enable him to keep more of what he makes. Things like company vehicle, medical ins. housing. What ever you can give him this way it's like giving him that plus 30% more.

LAA · Nov 26, 2012

What are you paying now? if you raise too much at once there is no where to go in the future. Depends a lot on the fringe benefits, are you providing housing, a vehicle, insurance? You mentioned he has many skills but the bottom line is always the same, how much money does he make or save your business each year.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 26, 2012

I have BIL in NW Kansas that does what you described - his salary was in the $45,000+ range and he had a "free" house to live in.

If you think you can hire someone for $15 an hour that you can trust to run a farm you're about 20 years late.

RichG · Nov 26, 2012

Does he work full time for you or only part time. What are comparable jobs in your area? You have to factor all this in. My brother inlaw works part time for me and your guy and him do the same. I pay him $25 an hour, wether he is wrenching or driving a tractor or unloading gravity boxes. He is way worth it and I have no problem writing the check.

NCWayne · Nov 26, 2012

I know nothing about hiring a farm hand, but, based on what you said I'd say you need to the man a wage comparable to others capable of doing the most complex thing you ask him to do. In my opinion that would be doing major overhauls to your equipment. I'm a self employeed equipment mechanic so I know guys at quite a few dealerships. Based on what I have heard over the years, the average wage for a skilled , long time mechanic is going to be somewhere in the $20-$25 per hour range, with benefits additional. The less skilled/newer guys that can also do the work but maybe not as fast,or need a bit of help, etc are going to be a bit lower down the board in the $15 an hour range.

Beyond that I'd say you also need to take into account the amount of times that he is called upon to perform major repairs as opposed to the times he's doing 'less skilled' tasks. Bundle all of that togeher, along with benefits offered, etc, etc, and how bad you want to keep him on, and you'll proabably find yourself in the $18-$20 an hour range to put him on a somewhat even level with others doing similar type jobs.

BigJohn23 · Nov 26, 2012

Thanks for the response. Currently he works full time or 40 plus hrs a week. He usually works 4 ten hour days. More in the fall or spring if needed.

BigJohn23 · Nov 26, 2012

Thanks for the response. That is the problem I have. I am sure he is underpaid but how do I bring him up to where he should be? This is a grain operation so the spring and fall are the most important times. Summer and winter are mainly used for maintenance and repairs.

RichG · Nov 26, 2012

I only run a few hundred acres, sounds like you run a few thousand. Pay him what you need to so know one steels him away. And if he is good someone will always pay him more. Do a good hourly rate with bonuses in really good years. You would be surprised how much a 5k bonus will lift a person and keep them motivated. You will also have to factor in if you are paying healthcare. If you arent make sure he has health care and help him get it if he doesnt. I work for a large company and we have a high deductable plan where we pay $3500 before anything is covered, and i am sure there are better plans. If he his a great employee take care of him because he will return it over and over again. Good luck.

Wile E · Nov 27, 2012

I would say $20 per hour, is it under the table? or a real 1099 at the end of the year?

showcrop · Nov 27, 2012

(quoted from post at 19:34:11 11/26/12) Sounds like you are describing me. I have been working for the same guy for over eleven years for minimum wage. Absolutely no raises or benefits, seven days a week, 365 days a year, no vacations, and even make me pay rent to live on the property. Yet he buys expensive equipment and floats his three, over twenty one years of age kids who don't have jobs. Maybe I am stupid but I am not married and don't have any other place to be. Only good thing, they are easy to work for and I can do pretty much what I want.

Retired Farmer, If you are performing all your duties, with virtually no supervision, you are essentially running the day to day aspects of the farm, making you the equivalent to a foreman or supervisor, worth a lot more than min. wage. In addition, even a farm is governed by some labor laws. You are probably due over $100,000 in back wages. You need to get a resume together and get it out. There are up and coming farmers that are tearing their hair out trying to find good help to enable them to get more done, that would love to hire you at double what you make now.

BigJohn23 · Nov 27, 2012

Most definitely taxable income.

BigJohn23 · Nov 27, 2012

Are you serious? What part of the country are you in? How many jobs are available around you at that kind of money?

Lazy WP · Nov 27, 2012

In north central Nebraska, a GOOD hired man only makes about @2200/month. But you have to figure in the house, utilities, and vehicle. Anyway, that is what I make. My house is a modern 4 bedroom double wide. The vehicles aren't real road worthy, but then again, they never leave the ranch. And I do get to run 4 head of horses, 2 dogs, and 1 cat. My wife gets paid $12/ hour, if she helps.

mkirsch · Nov 27, 2012

Have you thought about a profit sharing plan? Maybe give him a modest raise and add in that he gets some percentage of the profit at the end of the year.

jackinok · Nov 27, 2012

very few full time hired hands left around here, mainly because no one wants to work that hard. but the last one i had about 15 years ago i paid him 20 an hour and he kept his own time.PLUS a house,utilities,vehicle, (generally better than the one i drove)gas for farm buisness,etc, and let him run a few head of cattle with mine. very good young man that did whatever needed to be done, and did it well.he basically ran that ranch on his own, and if he needed help he would call. his wife woke up one morning to find him dead beside her,aparrently had a heart attack in his sleep at 35. sure do miss him,never found another one i could trust.

NY 986 · Nov 27, 2012

I would say 15 to 20 dollars an hour around here plus some benefits. Some farmers would say they can get good help as you describe for 8 to 10 dollars per hour but I question whether this "help" really has the skills you describe plus the equipment fleet is simple simon type repairs. Just make sure you are comparing apples with apples as I see some responses that surprise me.

Hay hay hay · Nov 27, 2012

When my mother became incapacitated I tried to hire a local gal to help her out, clean a little, cook a little, run some errands.

So I asked a young neighbor what she would charge per hour. She was adamant...$22/hr. I told her I thought that was a bit high but she explained that she made $22/hr cleaning houses for other people.

I asked her how many houses she cleaned, and she replied "just 1", on the first Monday morning of every month. But those people are in Florida for the winter so I am available any day of the week.......and I suspect she still is.

jackinok · Nov 27, 2012

one thing to keep in mind.. according OKLAHOMA law,if a person works most or all of the time without any or very little supervision,he can be a contract worker.many times this is advantageous to both parties as far as taxes ,ss, unemployment etc goes. if a person works only when you are present or under supervision,he CANNOT be a contract employee,and you are liable for all the typical withholdings and things. in other words,if you just tell this fellow to go fix fence or whatever and he does it hes basically a contract employee hired for that job.if you take him to build that fence,and work with him, he is a direct employee. farm work is comeing under more and more scrutiny these days,if you hire someone as a direct employee your responsible for training him,liable if he messes up, etc etc.if hes a contract employee he basicaly should have that knowledge,since hes contracting to do a job for you.farm workers can be a blessing or a real terror!! i strongly urge you to talk to your tax man ,and maybe even a lawyer who deals with this. work out whats best for you both,,, you can increase his take home pay often times,and lighten his tax load ,simply by carrying him the proper way on your books...hope this helps, it doesnt answer your question,but if you carry him as a contract employee on your books he can often take home a lot of his pay as untaxable perdeum pay, or living expenses,he can write off a lot of stuff also such as fuel he buys,clothes, food,simply because like yourself hes self employed. often times you can give him a substantial raise and still make money at the end of the year,simply because work he does as a CONTRACTOR is a farm input also..it sounds fishy,but its really not.its perfectly legal..

peggytaylor · Jan 23, 2016

According to me, you must check out <a href="http://www.convention-collective-metallurgie.fr">convention collective metallurgie salaire</a> for your country. Every country have its own agreements and according to which salary should be paid to employees.

Pair-a-dice farm · Jan 23, 2016

(quoted from post at 21:32:09 11/26/12) Hello,
This may or may not belong here and if it doesn"t I apologize. I am wondering what different areas of the country are paying for farm hands. I am talking a skilled hand that does everything from planting to harvesting, has vast mechanical knowledge and capable of anything from minor repairs to major overhauls. Employee has a cdl and knowledge of anything farm related. What kind of hourly wage or salary plus benefits are some of you paying or getting paid? Employee has been on the farm for 4 yrs and would like to keep him around but want what is fair for both employee and employer.

I would find out what the pay is for skilled labor in your area, including benefits, and try to match that. If you provide a house and pickup that should be considered also. A good farm hand is valuable. But having been a farm hand at one time, it's also valuable to have a farm job. Not having to deal with a bunch of citiots has a lot of value.

farm hand wage

New User

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

New User

New User

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

New User

New User

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

New User

Well-known Member

Similar threads