How Dairy Farms Manage Heat for Their Workers and Cows

While many people would choose to stay indoors during this heat wave, farmworkers and farmers continue their days outside, exposed to the sun and warm temperatures.

Joel Riehlman, owner of Venture Farms in Tully, said keeping his workers and cows cool is a priority.

“The majority of our employees work under a roof, so we’re in the shade 99 percent of the time, which is great,” Riehlman said. “We have plenty of fans, good circulation and we have sun blocking. We have two employees feeding the calves, but this is the most exposure we will have on our farm.”

Fans run into the Venture Farms barn. (Emily Kenny/Spectrum News 1)

The farm has water stations throughout that allow employees to get as much water as they want. Venture Farms employs about 14 full-time workers, most of whom are from South America.

“From a young age, they are taught about the problems the sun can cause to their skin, which is why they often wear long sleeves, long pants and usually a sombrero or cowboy hat,” Riehlman said.

In general, cows produce less milk in warmer weather. It is therefore important to keep stables cool, for their own good as well as that of the workers.

Growing corn at Venture Farms. (Emily Kenny/Spectrum News 1)

Currently, there are no federal rules regarding heat safety for agricultural workers, but the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is working to establish a policy. For now, they provide recommendations to farmers.

“Limit your exposure, have plenty of water and PPE is very, very important. There are specific guidelines that we follow as best we can,” Riehlman said.

Advances in air conditioning and other equipment cooling mechanisms are a big help in keeping its workers cool, Riehlman said.

A farm worker drives a tractor into the barn to feed the cows. (Emily Kenny/Spectrum News 1)

“I remember my dad and my uncle, we didn’t have taxis (on tractors) and we were just in the sun six to seven hours a day,” he said.

The New York Agricultural Medicine and Health Center also provides bilingual training to workers on thermal safety and other issues.

“We choose the topics and we usually have this meeting every quarter and we have an agenda that we follow,” Riehlman said.

Dehydration is a major concern when working with livestock in hot weather.

“If someone is severely dehydrated they can pass out and when you’re working indoors with cows or feeding calves someone may not see you for a few minutes and that’s a problem” , Riehlman said.

The calves hang out in the shade of their hutches. (Emily Kenny/Spectrum News 1)

Additionally, there is a risk of being stepped on by an animal.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 36 farmworkers died in 2021 from heat-related illnesses. Between 2011 and 2021, an average of 43 workers died each year due to heat.

Mary Jo Dudley, director of the Farmworker Program at Cornell University, said New York State is working on an extreme heat action plan to better improve conditions for workers during these periods of high temperatures.

“One of the things we’re looking at is developing things like cooling stations for farmworkers. There is also a focus on educational materials like posters and flyers,” Dudley said.

Farm workers milk cows in the Venture Farms milking parlor. (Emily Kenny/Spectrum News 1)

The concern with these posters, however, is determining the best approach so that everyone can understand them.

“Will these programs be developed taking into account people with low literacy levels? Written text is not necessarily the best way to approach this population,” Dudley said.

In other parts of the country where heat is more common, employers are handing out cooling bandanas, Dudley said.

“Some of these approaches require additional effort on the part of the employer. So the question is, will these types of approaches be offered at the federal level so that they can be purchased at a lower cost?” Dudley said.

As these periods of extreme heat become more frequent, Dudley said she would like to see a better plan in place for those at risk.

“I think there are some concerns that we need to include in this statewide extreme heat action plan to make it viable for the most vulnerable people,” she said. declared.