How to hire a dairy farm worker

How to hire a dairy farm worker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step dairy farm worker hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a dairy farm worker job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new dairy farm worker
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post a dairy farm worker job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the dairy farm worker you need to hire. Certain dairy farm worker roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A dairy farm worker's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, dairy farm workers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents dairy farm worker salaries for various positions.

   Type of Dairy Farm Worker	Description	Hourly rate
   Dairy Farm Worker	Agricultural workers maintain the quality of farms, crops, and livestock by operating machinery and doing physical labor under the supervision of farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers.	$10-16
   Groom	A groom is primarily in charge of maintaining the hygiene and appearance of pets. Typically working at grooming shops, a groom liaises with pet owners to identify their preferences, observe the pet's condition to identify its needs, and explain the extent of procedures to pet owners... Show more	$10-20
   Ranch Hand	A ranch hand is a person who takes care of livestock animals in a ranch. Ranch hands perform the ranch husbandry job, which involves keeping them healthy, feeding them, and overseeing breeding... Show more	$10-16

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Milking
   • Farm Work
   • Farm Equipment
   • Farm Animals
   • Calf
   • Farm Machinery
   • Shovels
   • Pasture
   • Drive Trucks
   • Mowing
   • Routine Maintenance
   • Herd Health

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage regular routines of dairy calf sector, developing skill in feeding, housing, sanitation, parasite and disease control.
   • Organize field plot information by processing tractor GPS reports and reconciling records with paperwork
   • Develop and execute nutrient management plan.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your dairy farm worker job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A dairy farm worker salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a dairy farm worker in Kentucky may be lower than in North Dakota, and an entry-level dairy farm worker usually earns less than a senior-level dairy farm worker. Additionally, a dairy farm worker with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average dairy farm worker salary

   $13.26hourly

   $27,573 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level dairy farm worker salary

   $21,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 26, 2025

   Average dairy farm worker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	South Dakota	$31,335	$15
   2	New York	$31,254	$15
   3	New York	$31,138	$15
   4	California	$31,077	$15
   5	Pennsylvania	$30,122	$14
   6	Wisconsin	$29,709	$14
   7	Minnesota	$28,258	$14
   8	Georgia	$28,206	$14
   9	Utah	$27,848	$13
   10	Iowa	$27,489	$13
   11	Texas	$23,644	$11
   12	Texas	$23,623	$11
   13	Tennessee	$23,567	$11

   Average dairy farm worker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	University of Pennsylvania	$31,030	$14.92
   2	The Summit	$26,581	$12.78
   3	Fort Valley State University	$23,860	$11.47	6

4. Writing a dairy farm worker job description

   A job description for a dairy farm worker role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a dairy farm worker job description:

   Dairy farm worker job description example

   Fort Valley State University, the only 1890 land-grant university in Georgia, is a comprehensive institution that provides an education to over 2,800 students including graduate students. The university is located in the town of Fort Valley in Peach County, the original site of the state's peach industry. Its 1,365-acre (5.52 km2) campus is Georgia's second-largest public university in area.
   
   Reporting to the Dairy Technology Center Manager, the Dairy Tech Farm Worker serves as a caretaker for goat herds and flocks of sheep, including feeding, milking, watering, hoof trimming, disbudding, and administering medications as directed.
   DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES: • Maintain pastures and fences
   • Operate equipment in the feed mill
   • Mix feed to prepare rations for animals
   • Service and maintain small machinery
   • Move animals using livestock trailers
   • Perform other job-related duties as assigned. QUALIFICATIONS: Highschool Diploma or GED Strong background in animal husbandry or experience in caring for animals Experience in construction and repair of farm fences Familiarity of feed mill operations Valid driver's license Preferred: Experience using farm machinery Flexible work hours including week-end and holidays Comfortable working with students WORKING CONDITIONS: Occasional travel to pick up supplies and attend meetings/trainings Work done mostly outside and sometimes in a climate controlled environment. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Physical activities include sitting, standing, walking, catching animals, heavy lifting (50 and occasionally up to 75 pounds), reaching over the shoulder and repeated bending.
   The above list of job duties is not exclusive or exhaustive and the incumbent will be required to undertake such tasks as may reasonably be expected within the scope of the position.
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right dairy farm worker for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with dairy farm workers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit dairy farm workers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your dairy farm worker job on Zippia to find and attract quality dairy farm worker candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as ag hires, farm job, farming work , joe produce, picking jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit dairy farm workers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new dairy farm worker

   Once you've selected the best dairy farm worker candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new dairy farm worker. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a dairy farm worker?