Workforce Development Version 2028 Development

Established in 2018, the FARM Workforce Development (WFD) program area encourages the adoption of human resources (HR) and safety best practices. It focuses on developing management processes and procedures to promote positive HR and safety outcomes on dairies. FARM WFD offers free producer resources, including an HR Manual and Safety Manual. In 2020, the program launched a voluntary second party evaluation tool for use by FARM Participants. Human resources and safety management will look different depending on the unique circumstances of the individual dairy. By using information from and referencing the FARM HR and Safety Manuals, HR Templates, and other FARM resources, the evaluation tool supports dairy producers and managers in their journeys of continuous improvement.

Dairy farmers participate in the program through their milk cooperatives, processors, other organizations or as individual farmers. When an organization signs a FARM Workforce Development Participation form, they commit to evaluated at least one farm per year using the program’s second party evaluation that covers HR and safety best practices. In 2025, 1,547 farms were evaluated.

No, the FARM Workforce Development is a separate evaluation addressing HR and safety practices that some farmers, cooperatives, and processors use.

The National Dairy FARM Workforce Development Program standards are formally revised every three
years. Those involved in the developing and revising of standards include:

• Farmer Advisory Council
• FARM Workforce Development Task Force

FARM also collects feedback from farmers, participant managers and evaluators. Suggestions are carefully reviewed by the Workforce Development Task Force before moving forward to the NMPF Executive Committee.

FARM will accept comments on the drafted FARM Workforce Development Version 2028 evaluation updates from July – October 2026. Check back later for exact dates and the link to submit comments.

Once the open comment period is closed, the Workforce Development Task Force, Farmer Advisory Council, NMPF Executive Committee and NMPF Board of Directors will review submissions and consider feedback before NMPF Board of Directors approve the final updates.

FARM Workforce Development Version 2028 will go into effect Jan. 1, 2028. Version 2028 will then be in place from Jan. 1, 2028 until Dec. 31, 2030.