At farms all across the United States, farmers are facing the same problem: finding, paying, and retaining workers. Annual pruning is one of the most costly farm tasks and is best performed by workers with several years of experience.
Factors in rural Mexico are decreasing the available labor pool. The physical difficulty of pruning additionally limits the labor pool and reduces the number of productive years for workers.
It’s clear that farm labor shortage is the new normal. Few workarounds exist and U.S. foreign policy cannot adequately address the labor crisis.
An ideal solution for this problem meets these requirements:
Pruning is an essential farm task no matter what the crop. Without proper pruning, crop load can be heavily impacted resulting in lower productivity than needed or conversely an overly heavy crop load that puts strain on the plant and can reduce fruit quality. Additionally improper pruning – whether at the wrong time of year or by workers who force cuts and split canes or branches – can lead to increased risk of disease.
From 2014 to 2018 the number of farms increasing wages in order to attract more labor has increased from 31% to 80% according to a study conducted by UC Davis and the California Farm Bureau Federation in January 2019. Furthermore, this same study showed that in order to keep the farm labor supply from decreasing any further, farm labor wages would need to increase 30% over the next 10 years.
There are 1.3 million US farm workers of which 73% are immigrants. A stunning 90% of these immigrant farm workers originate from Mexico. However, the Mexican government’s increase in rural education spending and a variety of other factors are decreasing the available labor supply to US farms including:
Mexico itself is undergoing a transformation as a labor exporter to importer. Guatemalan birth rates remain high and a study from 2012 found that an estimated 355,000 border crossings each year from Guatemala to Mexico were related to agricultural work.1
As countries develop, agricultural employment decreases as shown by this comparison of the US and Mexico showing 1997-2017
The physically tough work involved in pruning limits the labor pool and increases farming costs as shown below:
Although women are commonly involved in nearly every aspect of farming from planting and harvest through shoot thinning and fruit sorting, pruning remains a physically demanding task that has been almost exclusively performed by men. This fact alone cuts the labor available for pruning by 50%.
Furthermore, workers performing pruning tasks are at higher risk for catastrophic injuries (i.e. finger amputation) and Repetitive Motion Injuries which typically result in tendonitis, carpal tunnel or rotator cuff injuries depending on the crop type.
Both amputations and RMIs can prematurely end the number of years workers are able to perform pruning duties. In the case of RMIs, farm owners have typically already invested many years in training the worker to become an expert pruner and lose this expertise when the worker is injured. Worker’s compensation costs increase after an injury but it also incurs further costs to the farm owner as they must search for new employees and invest significant time training a new worker.
Preventing an initial injury is crucial as a study from Purdue University showed that workers are 39% more likely to reinjure themselves on the farm as a result of working after an initial injury.5
1 in 4 lost-time injuries and illnesses reported to the Bureau of Labor Statistics was linked to a Repetitive Strain Injury
The Electrocoup electric pruning shear is the product of over 35 years of research and development. Because the Electrocoup makes pruning easy on the body, it naturally leads to productivity increases that alleviate labor concerns.
The shear is the lightest shear in the world for its cutting capacity. Two cutting modes are available including a proportional mode that intuitively follows the motion of the user’s trigger finger and allows for precision work such as cutting just one cane even if it is close to a wire or a second cane. The new design also allows for a wider angle of vision which is especially helpful in tight spaces
Users can adapt height range and cutting capacity to meet individual farm needs.
Because the shear uses a brushless motor, Infaco was able to decrease both the weight and the diameter of the barrel by 26%. These are two of the improvements that make this the most ergonomic shear in the world.
An ultra-compact lithium-ion battery allows workers to prune for an entire work day without ever recharging and is small enough to put in a pocket. It also features a cell protection and electronic management system to prevent battery memory issues.
Charge time is 90 minutes. The included charger safeguards the lithium-ion battery from memory issues in two ways:
The shear’s combined impact of ergonomics, versatility, safety, and power has a ripple effect throughout any farm
Switching to an electric shear has a ripple effect throughout a farm resulting in cost-savings for all aspects of human resources but it also provides for concrete savings by reducing the number of hours required to prune.
A variety of factors are shrinking the available immigrant labor pool from Mexico including increased border control, Mexican investment in rural education, and declining birth rates. As Mexico transitions to a farm labor importer, farm labor wages in the US will need to continue to increase to keep a consistent labor supply.
To stay profitable, farmers will increasingly need to turn to mechanized solutions for labor-intensive tasks such as pruning both to reduce the number of workers needed and to eliminate lost-time injuries. The Electrocoup electric pruning shear is a solution that significantly extends the number of years workers are able to prune, helps to attract and retain the best workers, and increases worker productivity.
The Electrocoup pruning shear increases pruning productivity by 30% or more. To find out more, or to try it yourself, call 800-425-8809.
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Infaco S.A.S. is a family business founded by the inventor of the world’s first electric pruning shear, Dany Delmas. Delmas founded the company after his first Electrocoup shear won the top prize for innovation at the world’s largest viticulture trade show in 1985. Ever since, the Electrocoup has revolutionized pruning practices around the world from viticulture to orchards and everything in between.
Customer satisfaction has been the driving force behind Infaco’s success and we strive to continually improve on each generation of Electrocoup shears released. In its 35 years, Infaco has designed, produced, and sold over 300,000 pruning shears. Currently, Infaco is an international company selling tools I more than 40 countries around the world. For more information visit www.infaco-usa.com.
1. Martin, Philip, and Taylor, J. “Ripe with Change: Evolving Farm Labor Markets in the United States, Mexico, and Central America.” Migration Policy Institute, 2013.
2. Charlton, Diane, et al. (2019). “Can Wages Rise Quickly Enough to Keep Workers in the Fields?” Choices Magazine, vol. 34, issue 2, 2019.
3. Rutledge, Zachariah, and Taylor, J. “Farmworkers and Nonfarm Work: Evidence from the NAWS.” Presentation, 4 Apr. 2019
4. Brown, Dennis. “Automation Coming to Orchards.” WSU Extension Today , 31 Aug. 2007
5. Allen, Philip B. (1993). “An assessment of the risks and safety education training needs of farmers and ranchers with severe physical disabilities.” Journal of Agricultural Education, vol. 36, No. 3, 1995
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