Join Donovan and Ashley as they discuss Donovan’s exclusive insights into the benefits and sharp-edges of the H-2A program. If you are using H-2A, this webinar is for you!
Donovan Maskell brings a unique viewpoint by being one of the few people who worked initially as an H-2A laborer and later as an H-2A employer and consultant.
Ashley Reese is a farm labor expert with experience on the New Jersey Farm Bureau’s Women’s Leadership Committee, running a u-pick farm, and working with all other types of farms at FieldClock.
FieldClock is the industry leading time clock for farms way to record time and attendance and other records requires to stay compliant with DOL regulations for H-2A and farm employment in general.
JOSH
Hi, everybody. Thank you for joining this webinar today. Before we kick things off, just want to let you know we're going to be doing live Q&A during the webinar in the chat. So feel free to submit your questions through the webinar app there. And we'll do our best to get to them as they pop up. If we can't get your question during the webinar itself, we'll reach out to you afterwards.
Make sure you know what the answer is you're looking for. Hi, my name is Jack Bray. I'm the CEO of clock. Thank you for registering and joining this webinar today. We're really excited to have you here. Over the last decade FieldClock gone from me this tiny time clock to a HR workforce management platform for farms. And in the course of doing that, we've watched the explosion of H-2a across the US.
And so many farms are using H-2a now. So many farms are dependent on H-2a. And at the same time, the regulatory burden, the compliance burden, the nuisance of keeping up with H-2a regulation has just gotten more and more complicated each year. The cost for doing it has gotten more and more each year. So, you know, part of that is why we're teamed up with the Farm Bureau.
We love that they're in D.C. and in the state House arguing on behalf of farms, on why we need to keep this sane, why we need reasonable regulation, why we need is to just work to keep farms viable. At the same time, we team up with whoever we can in the industry who is really doing their best to help farms and is really pushing the state of farming forward to that end.
One of the most interesting people we've come across recently is a guy named Donovan Haskell, and Ashley's been having a lot of interesting conversations with Donovan. I find his background fascinating. He's been everything from H-2a laborer to employer to recruiter to consultant. The guy has just a massive wealth of knowledge. And to that end, I'm going to step back.
I'm going to let Ashley introduce herself and then Donovan and let them take it from there, because nothing I can say is going to be as interesting as what they have to say.
ASHLEY
Hi, I'm Ashley, recent. I'm a county executive here at FieldClock and I've been with FieldClock for about three years now. Prior to working at FieldClock I was drawing apples and peaches in new Jersey, and like many of the farmers that I meet all across the country, I was wearing a lot of different hats. I was working out in the field, I was working in the office, and rules and regulations were constantly changing on me, and I was spending countless hours in the office just working with time, cards and paperwork and spending too many hours when I could have been home with my family or out in the field.
But my favorite part of my job is really working with farmers and helping them streamline their process and helping them stay compliant in a really easy way. And I'm about to introduce you to Donovan, and I really was impressed with him and his story. And I'm excited to for the opportunity for you to meet with him as well and hear his story.
And it really resonated with me because just like Donovan, you know, he really did learn from the bottom and build himself up. And that was my experience with agriculture. And I hope that his story really resonates with you and that you're able to learn something from him, just like I did. So with that, Donovan, please, please introduce yourself.
DONOVAN
So my name's Donovan Maskell from South Africa. Been living in the US since 2016 when I started on the program. A little bit of background about me. We found my parents farm back home. That being said, we livestock farmers back home, mainly sheep. We farm around 30,000 acres, roughly 3000 sheep, which is which is not a big form, but it's medium sized in terms of that kind of stuff.
Yeah, I got I got my degree in economics and financial management at the University of Stellenbosch in 2015, and.
I was. I've always been interested in egg, and my, my parents were suggested to my brother and I that they will buy us a plane ticket to wherever we wanted to go, so we can at least explore the world before we come back to the farm. Eventually. And since agriculture has been in my blood for, I mean, going on 33 years now, it was just something that might sense to me, you know, come to the US, work, work and travel at the same time.
And that's kind of how this all started. It's quite young. 2016, worked for an employer in Arkansas. I'm still working for the same employer, not on the farm anymore, but that's how the journey started. Worked on the farm for about two and a half, three years and then kind of moved up into a warehouse position. They opened a egg retail business, and I stepped into that, got married in 2021.
And then from there, you know, I got my green card. I was able to establish agriculture placements at during that time. And yeah, just just started focusing on trying to give back to the people around me. As you know, I had many opportunities given to me. So that's kind of the way that got started. And yeah, of course forward a few years and yeah, we're sitting and just trying to increase and get better at what I do and, you know, help as many people as I can.
So yeah, that's me in a nutshell.
ASHLEY
Now we've had a few conversations already. And and one of the things that, you know, you, you really lost over and I'd like to take a step back and really take a deeper dive into. You went from working on a ranch, working with sheep, and then you you pivoted and started working into an entirely different type of farming operation.
And I love this because I really think that it it helped with how you operate and how you run your operation today. So what type of operation did you move into in Arkansas?
DONOVAN
So I was totally unfamiliar with with what I do over here. I mean, I knew, you know, we have up in South Africa, but not not to the extent of what, what behavior in the US.
ASHLEY
So no experience broke up farming and they took you on anyway.
DONOVAN
Yeah. No. No experience. I'd say that, but, you know, I knew what I, what I was getting myself into. I'd done a lot of research on what what to look forward to when I gotcha, when I got the opportunity as my contact with the employer immediately and the email and we started talking and I started just being interested in what they do, you know, I gotcha.
I think the first day that we got employer pulled us into his office and asked us, what can y'all do? You know, of course, there were a few guys that had experience that have done this in back home and things like that. No one wanted to speak up. And I said, Perry, I can't do anything, but I'm willing to learn, you know, if by the end of the year if I can drive this tractor from the farm shop to the office, yeah, that would be good.
But I'm willing to do anything and willing to learn as much as I can learn. And that kind of put me in that position. He always speaks about a funny story. When he was going through the resumes and stuff, he just said you were he was tells us to the people whenever we meet new people. He's lucky he was on the maybe ball, but there was something that that that drew me to him, and I kind of looked out there that I was raising my again.
And it just something said, you need to take a chance on this guy. And yeah, yeah, I'm sitting today. So, you know, I'm extremely grateful for that opportunity because otherwise, yeah, I would have surely got an opportunity somewhere else in the US. But, you know, just kind of shows our relationship that we've built over the last nine years.
ASHLEY
I really like that. And I think it shows in your operation, and I really like that about agri pro placements. You know, from what you've told me as part of the recruitment process and how you're helping your clients, part of that process is, is matching the right employee to the right employer. And that question your process. And I think that, you know, from what you've said, you've really found a really good way of matching them up.
And that questionnaire, how are you taking what you've learned from your experience with your employer and going through that maybe pile? How do you put that into practice? What walk us through that question year? What are you looking for? What signal is a good fit?
DONOVAN
So I work with a with a recruiter in South Africa. She she does a lot of prescreening beforehand and you know, gets to know the guys on a personal basis. You know, of course there's a lot of people that apply. So, you know, you're not going to get real personal with everyone that you that you meet, but you at least try and communicate in efficient manner.
So she Prescreened a lot of the people when I get on a call with an employer, you know, we try and see what, what what their needs are, what they need, what they're looking for in the person, that kind of thing. And I make notes of that. And, you know, I ask her and she normally will start sending resumes to that employer, then that align with what they kind of looking for.
But during that onboarding call, normally Austin, I tell them, look, we're all going to start sending you resumes, go through those resumes and see, you know, or they gain 15 resumes you like. If so, let me know. Kind of rain close resumes according to your 1 to 15 or 1 to 10 over many you decide on. And I'll go through them and have a look at them, and then also make calls to those guys that are on those resumes, whether it be guys or or women that are not coming through through the industry as well, you know, and like I said, the lady that I work with in South Africa, she prescreened those
people. And so she kind of has a feel for them as well. I then just have a 30 minute phone call with the people. And my biggest thing is, is I don't try and catch someone on, you know, what they if they lied on their resume or the application, you can kind of see that when when you talk to someone, they'll over share information and you can kind of pick up on that.
So, it's just to get to know the guys because in the end of the day, personalities what what estimate are on a farming operation? You know, a guy can learn skills.
ASHLEY
Now, do you see some common themes regarding what employers are looking for? And do you necessarily agree with what they're looking for, or would you maybe tweak those top skill sets that they should be looking for?
DONOVAN
I mean, first of all, employers are looking forward working individuals. You know, all these jobs that you come and do in the US or working long hours, you must be prepared to get in the heat, get in the cold. If you get your in winter kind of deal. So I'm just looking for people that basically can handle that kind of stuff.
You know, and guys that in my experience, guys that don't move around a lot, you know, jump from one operation to another kind of deal that that's become a big, I think, issuing in the H-2a environment. So just looking for stability. And I was trying my goal is to help my employers maintain their current employees. You know, the farmers that have helped throughout the last two and a half years, majority of those employees go back to those farmers year in and year out.
And that's the goal that I tried to to establish when I first started. This was, you know, to create that consistency because let's be honest, you go and work on a farm and you have to have new people every year showing up. You have to spend weeks, you know, educating someone on how your operation runs, you know, why not have that ability to try and keep people that you had the school, you know, however many years come back on a recurring basis.
And because I know your operation, you know, it's just not everyone's like me, you know, I'm just I was taught by my parents that, you know, if you start something, you finish something, whether you like it or not, you finish it. You know, and at the end of the year, you have your discussions with your employer.
And if you don't agree on something, then you part ways, you know, or if you can work through something, you stay. But then you need to remember that if you discuss something at that end of the year junction, that next year, you decided to come back and you decided on certain things that you spoke about. So you can't be upset again the next year.
If you don't have your way, you know, employers can also only do so much, you know, and you know that that's basically one of one of my big things is just creating consistency throughout the whole the whole process, having guys come back, building continuity on farms. Yeah. Basically that.
ASHLEY
Well, it's it's clear that you have integrity both in your personal and professional life. You know, one of the other things that I'm hearing, too, is that, you know, this process that you're building, you know, for your clients really is unique because you you want their employees to come back, not only because it helps with their skill set and their retention, but also one of the things that we talked about as well is, is that language barrier.
So by having those quality employees return with that language barrier, it really helps reduce that year after year. Can you talk a little bit about that? You know, I can imagine utilizing the H-2a program without having a person like yourself or, you know, your pro placements working with me, that might be quite challenging. Can you walk me through maybe why that's challenging and how you help with that process?
DONOVAN
Yeah. So, you know, I, I speak multiple languages. So it has its advantages when you are interviewing people, you know, because you can speak in their, in their language. Now I'm talking mainly about South Africa. That is it helps a lot because a lot of people, especially if you look at Afrikaans people and I'm just generalizing, it's not a blanket statement that it's just generalization.
A lot of them are uncomfortable to speak English if they don't have to, you know, so if you can talk of precautions to them, you know, you can at least communicate that way. And it's much better communication than a guy that's nervous over the phone because he has to still worry about, I must say a word or what's this word?
If it directly translates in his mind, you know, I catch myself doing that many times because you think in two minds. You know, you're thinking enough recounts and you say something in English and it's, doesn't make sense at all because, you know, if you can't, it makes sense. But in English it doesn't. So that that I think helps in a, in a large way.
You know, so I see that there's definitely benefit in, in stuff like that. Which. Yeah. So that that's what I concerned that. Yes.
ASHLEY
Yeah. And conversely, I was in we've been working with a former wage and hour inspector as well. And one of the things that that he advocates for as well is, is really giving employees the opportunity to do that, because what happens is, is during an inspection when wage and hour comes out, if you're not giving your employees the opportunity to to air grievances or to communicate, if wage and hour comes out with an inspection, they're going to take the opportunity to lay it all out there.
Because if you're not giving them the opportunity to to let it all out, they're going to let it all out to a wage an hour when they come out for an inspection. And that's not the best time for your employees to let out their grievances. So, you know, it really is a two way street. And that H-2a contract really is a partnership.
And, you know, communication is key.
DONOVAN
Yeah. And that and that's what I've learned. You know I am also I'm also a nervous person, you know. But I was honest with my employer from the get go when I first got and I said to him, look, I can't do anything. And, you know, there was an instance and that we had on the farm when we first got you as well, you know, on the H-2a program, you have to reimburse your, your, your travel expenses and things like that.
So anyway, we we get all our travel in Bozeman and stuff and normally art works as you get there upfront and have at the end of the season. That's that's normally how it works. Anyway, so we get a check from our from our secretary and double the amount. So I was like, oh something wrong or we got cash actually.
And I said to the other guys, I think they, they, they done, they done something wrong anyway. So I phoned the employers like, look, this is what's happened. I think, I think we got more money than what we were supposed to get, you know, and in that instance, I think, you know, we could have kept I could have kept quiet or we all could have kept quiet at that point and just taken the money, and I would have never known, but that they kind of established another point of establishing a relationship with your employers that you understand.
Now, from now on, if you mess up or you do something that's not, you know, you're going to be honest about it and not just beat around the bush. So that's why I say honesty and stuff goes a long, long, long way in this industry. You know, is my employer might be a guy that's willing to give people chances.
Yes, I you definitely is, because he's that kind of person. But, I mean, you know, your situation at your employer. So, you know, you read that kind of situation and then adapt to that. And then, you know, I just say honesty is is the only way to go when it comes to things like that.
ASHLEY
Absolutely. Yeah. I'd like to I'd like to switch gears a little bit. Something else that, you know, through our conversations that we've, we've really identified as, as a, as a really big value add for agricultural placement is, you know, the fact that you're able to save farms from really major delays because as we understand, just the H-2a contract process is is really challenging.
And it's challenging because really small, small errors or very specific things can actually cause major delays and major delays in time. And timing can actually be catastrophic for harvest season. So on the contract side, what are some top mistakes that you see would cause some really major delays? And how long how like what are the impacts to those delays?
DONOVAN
Actually, I've seen a lot on, on on housing this, this past year. Those Department of Labor has become very strict on that. You know, you source that through state workforce agency and they then use certain other government offices and agencies to go and do those certifications on their housing and stuff. But they've they've become very strict on housing.
So, for example, like they've been a few employers that have had no screens on doors and windows, for example. So you go out and the Gaga's and does the inspection and has to take photos and so forth, and they don't have those screens up that, that they take another. It does the inspection submits it to each person is up.
And then that I sent it to another person at the state workforce agency. And that process takes a week or two. So, you know, you delay that in turn, that starting time by another week or two just because of a, of a small thing like that. Now, is that on us agents to notify employers of things that they need to do?
Yes. For sure. That's why I try and ask, you know, especially for young Arkansas, the area I'm in, I know the, the person that does the inspections. So I ask him for updates on what they're looking for or what do we need to let our employers know, but still, you know, they've become so strict that you can have all those things in place, but then there's a little small thing other that they have never looked at before that they're looking at now that causes an issue.
Last year they were tremendous, or this year they were tremendous backlogs because they were shorthanded and, you know, couldn't process applications fast enough. So a lot of employers only got their employees in April instead of in March whenever they needed them.
Those are kind of some of the issues that I've seen on the housing housing side of things. When we talk in terms of paperwork, you know, if you if you aren't filing with the correct name or the correct Ein numbers and those kind of things, that that adds time to those applications as well, because it's back and forth with Department of Labor and none of them have phone numbers to kind of phone and resolve issues.
It's all through email and email. Reply is normally a a day, you know. So.
JOSH
Oh sorry. I'll let you finish that. But I have a question after that.
DONOVAN
So we just I just try and do things on a timely manner. You know, I can also only we can also only do things as fast as we get supplied information. So for example, government can't do anything at the moment. And there are a few winter winter visas that I have pending. But government shut down. So you can't you can't process anything because the Department of Labor is closed and you need that information or those documents to send with your I 129 package.
JOSH
I'm glad you mentioned the government shutdown because I was actually going to point that out. There's two really interesting concepts that you mentioned in there, Donovan, that I, I think a lot of people don't intuitively think about or don't necessarily like. It's just not part of their daily way of looking at their business. One of those is you mentioned early on that like the criteria they're looking at or, you know, the way they're handling applications or investigations, whatever, that can change.
And, you know, there's so many farms we talked to who they've never been investigated. And in their mind that means they never will be. And that's just not the case. It's not how it works. And they think that they've you know, they've always done it a certain way. Therefore that way will continue to work. And then what we see in practice is either, you know, clustered investigations in an area or they start reading the paperwork in a slightly different or a more nuanced way than they used to.
And that causes headaches. And that kind of ties in with the other thing. I thought that was super interesting, which is just the idea that, like the farms, we as citizens have to be on our game and showing up and bringing our game every time, the government not won't necessarily do the same. So, you know, overnight it and then they post it back.
But the overnight it matters because for instance, you know, if that was the difference between getting your interview scheduled or done or whatever other paperwork, if that happened a day before shut down as opposed to a day after shut down, that matters. And the the one thing we hear from so many people who have either gotten an investigation or had some sort of dispute or issue, or maybe needed to change to a paperwork and couldn't, or whatever the case may be.
It's no one has a time machine. You can't go back and manufacture more time when you wish you would have had it. So being able to do things in a timely and accurate matter makes all the difference in the world. And doing that today.
DONOVAN
Yeah. And I mean, you know, I see a lot of employers. One of the first things, especially new employers that get on the on the program, you know, I still doing the old school way of keeping time and things like that. And that's one of my first questions or one of my first things is like, are you keeping time or are you?
How's your situation looking like? Because those are big points as your workmen's compensation looking like because you need that. If you don't have that, that's one of the things that they require you to go through. Housing is going to be a requirement. You know, I've said guys multiple times to my employers, I say you need to keep accurate records because I have the records and I have the paperwork and stuff, but those when I when they show up there, it's they give you a week or two and you need to have those documents present, you know, and if you like for example, on on time, for example, pay, pay and all that kind of
stuff, you know, if you don't have that stuff, you can't just go back and all of a sudden make paperwork to show that you've paid these guys X amount, you know, there needs to be a trial of that. And it's a very important thing. And I can't stress enough to to employers to have to have that stuff in place just because it makes life easier.
You know, the way the way technologies improving in your farming landscape, you kind of need to keep up with the weather without improvement. You know, if you look at equipment that's improving, if you look at that, all those kind of things, if you can invest in that, you can invest in something that keeps your time and stuff accurate.
Because, you know, I've just been reading up and my numbers might be wrong, but, fines and stuff in this industry, if they find you, it starts out at about $10,000 of this, you know, a mistake that you have. So investing in something that can save you that time and money at the end of the day is a no brainer to me.
Because yes, you are, you are. You are in the government's will us and you have to unfortunately adhere to their rules and regulations. That's why there those rules and regulations. I mean, if you're doing this program, you have to adhere to those things. You can't you can't break or try and find ways around them, you know, to to make things and adjust to you.
You know.
JOSH
It's not enough to do the right thing. You have to be able to demonstrate you did the right thing. And and it's so funny how so many people don't extend that same thought to all aspects of their business. Kind of like what you were talking about. You know, the with equipment in particular, like precision farming is a thing, like people pay good money to have the right tool that's going to go do everything that's needed on that field.
You wouldn't go back to the way you were doing it in the 1980s. You wouldn't you definitely wouldn't go back to the way you were doing in the 1920s. And yet then we look at timekeeping and HR records, and then there's this blind spot for for so many small businesses and family farmers who are still keeping time the way they did in the 1980s or the 1920s.
And, you know, and it's it's not resilient. And again, it works until it doesn't. And when it doesn't work, it's really expensive. And especially with H-2a, you know, you mentioned fines and starting points. And one of the biggest things that I think a lot of people miss on the fines is when fines are multipliers. And for instance, if your pay stubs aren't H-2a compliant, if you don't have the iron or the employees SSN or the hours offered or those, you know, I think there's eight data points that the CFR says you have to have on there.
And if you don't have those on there, that's not just a one off. The investigator is going to be like, hey, get those on there. It's going to be, hey, there's a penalty. And that penalties multiplied by every employee you paid in. And that gets really expensive really quickly.
DONOVAN
I mean, I think there's a, a reader case study. There was a fruit operation in California. I think it was. I'm not sure what the name was or anything like that, but they they were looking at fines of around $550,000.
ASHLEY
That's going to absolutely shut them down and maybe put them out of business. So.
DONOVAN
You know, and instead of spending, say, a thousand bucks to be compliant, you know, you spending $550,000 to get out of issues, you know, that that's what is that thousand dollars compared to the 550,000 for you. You know, that's kind of how you have to look at those kind of things.
JOSH
Yeah. And one of the recent ones that Dol published as a farmer in southern Washington, same range, it was like a half million dollar penalty or excuse me, they ended up paying about a half million dollars, of which about 200,000 ish were back wages, incorrect pay that they had to fix. And then the other 300,000 were penalties. And if you look at it as you should have been paying the right pay anyway, that that could have been a $200,000 issue over time and part of your regular business, and you would have just been a healthy business.
And then there's another 300 grand on top that you're just giving to the government because you didn't do it the right way.
DONOVAN
And I mean, you know, we're looking at today's climate, the way AG is, is at the moment, you know, a lot of pressure on agricultural industry at the moment with commodity prices the way they are. So, you know, you don't want those compliance issues if you don't need to have them, whether it's on paperwork, whether it's on time, whether it's on, you know, you name it.
I just take, for example, my employer, one year in particular, I had to get my eyes tested again in South Africa and they were nice pair of glasses that I liked the in the US. And I bought them and I'd send them over so that they could put my lenses and stuff in those lights, in those frames. And I just asked, I was secretary, I was like, ma'am.
Do you mind? Just I know I'm getting a paycheck now, but just for the postage and stuff. Just deduct whatever the postage is out of that paycheck, you know, that's fine. So she, she was like, yeah, all all good. No problem. So she done that because she, she's the one that melted away from me and got it sent off and.
Come to find out the following year when I came back she said you won't believe it, but they actually done a audit on us because we without money from you, without having any form of documentation as to why we withheld this money.
JOSH
You asked them to do.
DONOVAN
They weren't charged for anything or anything like that, but they were questioned as to why they just withheld this money. And it was for personal expenses, for example, like my personal expenses. And they just said, well, he asked us to. And I said, well, you need to kind of have that stuff documented, otherwise you're going to be in big trouble.
And since then I haven't really done I haven't done that much again, because, you know, it was coming out of a place, a good place, but, you know, you can do something good, but it might lead you in the wrong way in the, in the government's eyes, you know.
JOSH
And, and we do find like, you know, just about everybody we talk to is trying to do the right thing. They're trying to treat their employees right. They're trying to keep their business running right. And and it's hard if you don't know all the ins and outs and all those tricky little things. And that's I mean, yeah, that's why we exist is because it's so hard to do it without the right tool.
DONOVAN
I mean, it's I'll be the first one to say, I don't know, I don't know no at all. But, you know, and that's what I say to my employers, if they ask me a question and I don't know, I say, let me find out for you because I don't want to give you information that's inaccurate, then lead you down away.
And then a few months later, you come to me and say, well, Donovan, you say, that's the way we need to go. You know, I'd rather find out information for you, then give you the wrong information. And that's kind of how I like. That's how I treat all my employees and I work with is just, look, if I don't know it, I'll go and look for it and I'll get back to you on on that and have a better understanding myself, because in that way, I'm also learning that same thing, because I don't know that that answer.
So I go and research that, and I find that out now I know. And if someone might have the same question a little ways down the road and I can say, well, I know, I know, there's answer because I actually had to go look at it. So, just this industry is constantly changing and you have to constantly adapt and constantly learn new things.
If you aren't learning and you aren't adapting, then you might as well shut doors because, you know, in the end of the day, if you're an agency of involved with employers and group of employers and you're not doing things right, the government is going to come after you as well. So you need to if you're providing wrong information, then, you know, it's only fair that they do come after you because you're giving out the wrong information.
You know, so that's why I say I really enjoy just learning about things or, or if someone has a question and they ask me and I don't know, then I go look it up because it's that's me. It's me learning as well, you know? And if you aren't learning every day, then there's something wrong. That's why we all we are is we need to learn every day in order to, for ourselves to grow and become better at what we do, you know?
ASHLEY
Yeah. This is going to be my proud Farm Bureau pedestal moment. And I'll I'll circle back in a second. And I hope it makes sense. And I've done this so many times to Josh. So he part of my mission as I joined field, Clark was really to to become a member benefit for Farm Bureau. And the reason why is because I have sat through countless Farm Bureau meetings where I've listened to farmers struggle through so many things.
And the reason why is because there is such an onslaught of information that comes out and and I like it at the same time, because Farm Bureau is the source of truth for farmers, because it is the one place where they actually get those updates. You were talking earlier, and you were talking about how you have your finger on the pulse of knowing the different regulations that are coming out.
And for a lot of our family farms all across the country where they get that information, is that County Farm Bureau meeting. So those meetings are really so important to them. So part of our mission really is, is becoming a member benefit for for Farm Bureau states. And and we want to become a resource, a tool for those states and for those members so that as rules and regulations change, we as, as can can create tools and and forms for them to be able to easily capture time, to be able to capture housing requirements quickly and easily so that they can document those things, capture it, record it, and just move on with their day
and not have to worry about it. And what I like about this, too, is that we were talking about how how costly fines and regulations are, and we're so proud to be able to offer those compliance tools at such a low cost and at a discounted rate for farms that really do struggle to to stay in business, you know, and I just I'm so thankful that Farm Bureau exists.
I'm proud to be a Farm Bureau member. I'm proud to be a member benefit, you know, and I was so excited when you were telling me that you were also a Farm Bureau member and you were part of, I believe it's Woodruff County as well, and that you attend that. I'm not sure if you hold any other position there, but I don't I didn't ask you this, but how did you how did you get involved with the Woodruff County Farm Bureau?
DONOVAN
So my employer, they were I guess he's he's a little bit in the Farm Bureau staff. And they were having a meeting. Some of the older board members had stepped away and, you know, kind of retired and moved out and all that stuff. And they were needing some more people on the on the board, I guess. And he just found me out of the blue one day, said Donovan, would you like to do it?
And I was like, yeah, I mean, he said, well, we still have to pass it and it needs to go through. But, I just threw your name in this. I couldn't really say no at that point. I was already offering the door, so I said, yeah, I'll, I'll do it. And that's basically I got involved in that.
And then, you know, but I've been a member ever since I've had my first vehicle in the US. So that was in 2017. I think, and I've been with the same agent since 2017 and I've helped me a lot. So I mean, I can't complain. I really do good for us.
ASHLEY
Fantastic. Very cool, very cool. Yeah.
Very cool. Glad to hear it. Glad to hear it. So just a just a couple couple random questions for you here before we, you know, open it up to other questions here at the end. But if you were to if you were to recommend one small fix or farm to start out with, what would it be as far as like H-2a, what should they focus on.
DONOVAN
Now for the coming season? I'd say just make sure your your job descriptions are lining up with whatever you, whenever you have in your paperwork. Because I've changed overrules you know, there's not two different skill levels. So most H-2a people will fall under skill level two. But make sure your job descriptions reflect what what what's being done and what is going to be done.
Secondly, make sure your your timekeeping is on point. You know, if you don't have that stuff on point and things like that, it's going to get tough. Then make sure you're just, you're, you're asking and those kind of things are all in line. You know, if you don't have that stuff in line, then that that does get tough because all that stuff just delays the process a lot more.
So I'd say job descriptions, you know, get in touch with your agencies that you deal with. Make sure that they informing you about these things and make sure they guide you through how that they formulate those job descriptions. Because a lot of agencies, myself included, we use, you know, the same kind of job descriptions for ag equipment operators.
You know, you just tweak it a little bit. But, you know, those things are going to have to be a little bit more specialized as of this coming year with all these new changes and stuff. So and then like I say, secondly, timekeeping, have your workmen's compensation staffs in order and housing make sure housing starts. Right. And all that kind of stuff.
ASHLEY
Yeah I couldn't agree more. And you know, for, for, you know, just talking about people who are considering switching, you know, from that that pen and paper to a digitized system. Just food for thought. If you already have your list of tasks that are on your contract, it's so easy to grab your tasks and put them in your timekeeping system.
And everything goes from start to finish and you remain in compliance. And it's that easy. Yeah.
DONOVAN
Yeah, I couldn't I couldn't agree more with you on that. I mean, it's really more farmers need to adapt that because it's just so crucial to be in compliance with that especially, you know, and the benefit of yours program is the fact that you don't. It's not just for H-2a. It's you can do permanent labor as well. And that that's the the icing on the cake is that you need that stuff.
Whether you are a small time farmer, whether you're a big farmer, things need to be compliant. And that and that's the perfect thing. You know that your that y'all can deliver for people. You know which I'm certainly I have a few clients in mind. So it's stuff that I'll be be implementing soon for some of my employees as well.
JOSH
Oh wait I was on me. I love hearing that. Yeah, the tooling exists. Farmers were here for you. You know, whether you're tiny or huge. You know, giant enterprise farms can probably have deep pockets and abilities to come up with a half million dollar penalties for a small family farm, and you get hit with ten, 20, $30,000 penalty.
You know, that hurts. That hurts a lot. So yeah, the tooling exists. There's no reason not to use it. And that's why we do what we do because we're all here to help farmers.
DONOVAN
Yeah. Good. And agree more with you.
ASHLEY
Oh, and then I just I don't know, I would love to identify as well what states are you operating currently in? I didn't ask in the beginning and I regret doing that.
DONOVAN
Actually, I help Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Nebraska, North Dakota are basically an employer in any state. If they need help, I help them.
ASHLEY
Now. Did your brother stay at the home farm or did did did?
DONOVAN
No. So my brother got his the Green Chartered Accountancy and he's actually working for a company in the UK at the moment.
ASHLEY
So now did so as far as succession planning, what's going on with your mom and dad's ranch?
DONOVAN
I school operating at the moment, but, my brother and I don't come back, you know, and we just both kind of found our feet. You know, I have a family in the US now. Wife and a little baby girl. And then we'll have another baby boy in February. So, and then my brother, you know, he's in the, he's.
We worked in South Africa for a while, but he's, you know, in the UK doing quite well in finance over there and also as a golfer friend back there. So which is she's British I mean I don't think he's going to have plans for going back if he gets settled there you know.
JOSH
Move on. Hold on to it.
DONOVAN
No, no.
JOSH
Thank you for everybody who showed up today. You know, it was a really good discussion between Ashley and Donovan and a lot of interesting information in there. If we didn't get to your questions, we will reach out to you afterwards. Make sure you got the information you're looking for, for anyone else who wants to reach out to us, you can get us at fieldclock.com or agriproplacements.com.
Have a great day.