The number of seasonal farm workers hired during harvest in the Northern Plains this year was down, but wages were up.
That's according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistic Service. Around 37,000 workers were hired between Kansas, Nebraska and North and South Dakota during the reference week of July 9-15th, which was down 3% from last year. Workers for October 8-14th totaled 43,000, down 4% from last year. Average wage for July harvests was $18.68 an hour, while average October wages trended higher at $19.37 an hour. On average, field workers earned the most, with typical wages approaching $20 an hour. Hired laborers worked an average of about 46 hours per week during the periods surveyed.
