June is Dairy Month in New York and the New York State Agriculture Department has launched a workforce development resource guide to help connect young people and those interested in a career in the dairy industry. The resource guide is part of an initiative by the New York State Dairy Think Tank to streamline workforce development efforts and better connect workers to employers. The dairy industry is the largest segment of New York’s agricultural sector and a significant driver of the New York economy.
The Dairy Think Tank was created in 2020 at the advice of the Milk Marketing Advisory Council to bring together leaders in the industry, including representatives from the Department of Agriculture and Markets, Department of Labor, and Empire State Development, to discuss the current challenges facing the dairy industry and the industry’s future. The Dairy Think Tank identified workforce development as one of its top priorities, along with government partnership, branding and marketing, and industry support.
As part of these efforts, the Dairy Think Tank created a central resource guide – the Catalog of New York State Workforce Development Pipelines for the Dairy Industry – containing information about dairy-related workforce development programs, career opportunities, and funding streams available within the State. This central resource provides dairy farms and dairy processing plants with programs and opportunities to better connect with and train future employees, including school-based programs that introduce youth to the dairy industry. In addition, the catalog can also be utilized by jobseekers to help identify the career pathways that are available for those who are skilled or those who have no prior agricultural or food manufacturing training.
Additionally, the Dairy Think Tank partnered with the Department of Labor to create a series of videos highlighting “Cool Jobs in Dairy,” which showcase the wide range of exciting and fulfilling career opportunities in the New York dairy industry, including production, processing, and distribution. The Department also launched a Dairy Career Page, which provides information about working in the dairy industry, job opportunities, and resources for agricultural workers.
Agricultural Commissioner Richard Ball said, “The dairy industry is a powerhouse of New York’s economy, creating thousands of local jobs while fueling our communities statewide. Resources like this catalog and the Dairy Think Tank will help our dairy farmers and processors attract and retain great employees to produce the milk and variety of dairy foods that make New York a leading dairy state. I’m excited to continue working with our partners in the dairy industry and with our fellow state agencies to ensure that New York dairy remains a pillar of our agricultural industry.”
