Resources

Here you'll find links to articles, fact sheets and other resources related to being a farm employer.

  • Tax Basics: Form 1099 Information

    Form 1099 is used to report various forms of income other than wages, salaries, and tips to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and to the recipient of the payment. Agricultural producers may both receive Form 1099 information returns and be required to issue them. The Rural Tax Education website provides an overview of the kinds of information 1099 forms report.
  • Tax Reporting: Employment of Family Members

    This webinar provides guidance on a number of topics related to employing family members on farm operations, including employment of children by their parents, spouses working for each other, business structures involving family members, reporting/withholding requirements, and deductibility of wages paid to family members. PowerPoint slides are also provided.
  • Tracking Labor on a Diversified Vegetable Farm

    The biggest expense on just about any diversified produce farm is labor. It is also the hardest to track. This video presentation by John Hendrickson of University of Wisconsin's Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems provides practical approaches to the labor component of the cost of production records for various crops. Links to additional resources are included.
  • Training Employees Who Operate Agricultural Tractors

    This 2020 Iowa State University publication outlines nine practices agricultural employers should cover during training with employees who operate tractors. These practices help prevent tractor overturns and the resulting injuries and fatalities. 
  • Training Your Employees (Farm Manager Video Series)

    Training your crews to do their jobs effectively from the start is a key way to avoid problems later. This short video from the Farm Manager Video Series shares practical strategies for training farm employees so that they contribute to the success of the farm.
  • UMASH Safety & Health Resources in Spanish

    The Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center resource database contains a variety of health and safety materials, including a several Spanish language guides. You can search for materials by keyword, category, and tags/topics and language.
  • UMASH Safety Check

    The UMASH Safety Check is designed to help farmers identify and fix potential hazards before they cause harm to people working on your farms. It includes checklists, tips, and resources to help remedy problems.
  • Vermont Tick Information Center

    This website, hosted by the University of Vermont's Integrated Tick Management Program, provides information for farmers on how to protect people, livestock and pets ticks and tick-borne diseases.
  • Wearable Technology for Health and Safety in Agricultural Work

    View this recording to learn about strategies for identifying, evaluating and using wearable technology that can make you and your employees healthier and safer while working in agriculture. The session also included ideas for how you might integrate these devices in to your management framework with a goal of increasing wellness and decreasing injuries and illnesses. Some examples of wearable technology in farming include using heat and humidity monitors to prevent heat illness, and heart rate monitors to help fit tasks to the individuals and prevent over-exertion.
  • Why and How Farmers Protect Their Skin

    In this Growing For Market article Katie Kulla writes about an important, but often overlooked health issue: skin protection. Explore why skin protection matters and how you can go out into the field confident that you're doing your best for your skin.
  • Why create an employee handbook for your farm?

    This January 2024 online workshop featured a panel of experienced Vermont farmers who described how and why their employee handbooks have helped finding and retaining employees, establishing and maintaining team morale and overall farm efficiency.