Agricultural & Foreign Labor Services December News and Highlights

Agricultural Employment Services provides essential employment and training support to agricultural employers and Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers (MSFWs), helping connect workers seeking job opportunities with employers searching for talent.

Our Agricultural Employment Liaisons (AELs) provide on-the-ground outreach and employment services that help MSFW families’ access:

• Job search support
• Skills development opportunities
• Referrals to vital community resources

AELs also support agricultural employers with:

• Posting job orders on Pure Michigan Talent Connect
• Worker recruitment through the Agricultural Recruitment System
• Labor market information
• On-the-job training
• And more

We work with partner agencies to ensure MSFW families maintain stable employment and have access to essential services that help improve their overall well-being.

The services we provide to MSFWs are federally mandated under the Wagner-Peyser Act. Our team comes from MSFW backgrounds and are fluent in Spanish, the primary language spoken by the majority of MSFWs in Michigan.

Our work often requires flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, to ensure we can serve both MSFWs and agricultural employers who may not be able to visit a Michigan Works! Service Center during standard business hours.

Learn more about the work we do at Michigan.gov/AFLS. Or, find your nearest Agricultural Employment Liaison here.

Agriculture and Foreign Labor Service team members attended the Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan’s 50^th Anniversary Gala in late October.

The event welcomed over 300 guests, including past and present commissioners, community leaders, elected officials, union representatives and members of the public, all gathered to honor the Commission’s half-century of advocacy, empowerment and service to Michigan’s Latinx communities. 

The event provided valuable visibility for the program and allowed staff to strengthen relationships with key partners who serve the state’s agricultural and migrant communities.

Come out and connect with our team in person during the Great Lakes Expo on Dec. 9-11 in Grand Rapids. This will be your chance to attend the agricultural industry’s premier event and explore the latest in farming innovation, labor services, and industry’s best practices.

We look forward to seeing you there!

With the support of Upper Peninsula Michigan Works!, Talent Services Specialist Sarah Micheau, and a braided funding approach through WIOA Youth and the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP), Troy transitioned from agricultural work to a promising career path in welding.

Currently enrolled in a welding education program, Troy has already earned multiple industry-recognized certifications, even before graduation! His dedication, work ethic and drive to succeed have made him a standout participant in the program.

As Troy nears graduation, we’re excited to support his transition into full-time employment and celebrate his achievements. His story is a testament to the power of collaboration, opportunity and determination. It’s also a great example of what’s possible when we align resources and support systems to meet young people where they are!

If you’re interested in supporting or partnering with the welding program, please reach out to your local Michigan Works! office.

On Oct. 29, NFJP staff Anakaren Salinas and Jesus Ruiz Santos represented the NFJP program at the Race to Talent event, hosted by SEMCA and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. This dynamic event brought together workforce professionals, employers, training providers and community organizations to explore innovative strategies for expanding Michigan’s talent pipeline particularly through Registered Apprenticeships.

Anakaren and Jesus connected with representatives from the State Apprenticeship Expansion team, identifying promising opportunities for collaboration. These partnerships aim to enhance access to workforce training and career pathway development for farmworker and underserved communities.

The event also served as a platform to align outreach and enrollment strategies and coordination efforts with SEMCA Michigan Works! on upcoming workforce initiatives to better serve job seekers across the region. Stay tuned for updates as these partnerships evolve into impactful programs!

On Oct. 30, representatives from multiple workforce and education programs came together for a collaborative outreach visit to the Michigan Celery Promotion Co-op in Hudsonville.

During the visit, the team engaged directly with farmworkers during their lunch break, providing valuable information and resources about the NFJP, Agricultural Employment Services, and employment and training services offered through Michigan Works!. 

This effort reflects a strong commitment to meeting farmworkers where they are, ensuring they have access to the tools and support needed to pursue education, training and employment opportunities.

By working together across programs and agencies, the team demonstrated the power of collaboration in action bridging gaps and building trust within the agricultural community.

Veterans' Employment Services (VES) provides veterans, transitioning service members and their spouses with one-on-one support to address any barriers they may have to find their next career. The team, comprised of all veterans themselves, understand the unique challenges veterans face when transitioning to civilian employment.

Explore VES’ series of how-to videos designed to help veterans in their career search and to help prepare them for their interviews. Learn more about other services VES provides at Michigan.gov/VES.

Michigan has thousands of jobs throughout the state in many different industries, including many full-time jobs with benefits in the Food and Agricultural Industry, as well as in the Agri-business sector. Search for your next job today at Pure Michigan Talent Connect (MiTalent.org)!

View a list of agricultural jobs.

The Monitor Advocate System at Work

The Monitor Advocate System is a nationwide oversight structure established by the U.S. Department of Labor to ensure MSFWs receive the same level of access to employment services and protections as non-MSFWs within the public workforce system.

Created under federal regulations in the 1970s, the system plays a critical role in promoting and reducing barriers and ensuring farm workers are provided with worker rights and protections information.

A component of the Monitor Advocate System is to provide technical guidance to Michigan Works! Service Centers through monitoring. A past recommendation by the State Monitor Advocate served as vital for hiring staff with MSFW background and fluent speakers of the language the majority of the MSFWs that seek services at local Michigan Works! One Stop Service Centers.

From the Fields to the Frontlines of Service

Alondra began her journey as a child of farm workers in Pennsylvania, where her parents worked at harvesting, scaling and packing mushrooms. The family moved to Michigan in 2006 where her father worked in landscaping and sold watermelons he purchased wholesale from a farm in Eau Claire at the local flea market on the weekends. Alondra recalls joining her father and sisters on the trip to the fields and rolling the watermelons to the edge of the field rows so that her father could lift and load them onto the truck.

After graduating from Niles High School, Alondra attended Southwestern Michigan College and Western Michigan University where she studied Criminal Justice. She then became a Career Advisor with Telamon Workforce and Career Services. After receiving notice she may be laid off due to funding changes, Alondra applied for a Customer Care Specialist position with the Paw Paw Michigan Works! Service Center and started work there in June 2025.

Alondra enjoys connecting customers with employment and training resources, as well as support services. She is very active in the center, always assisting customers with their resumes, unemployment insurance registrations or directing them to other services needed.

Upcoming Monitoring of MSFW Significant Michigan Works! Service Centers

The State Monitor Advocate Gerardo Aranda, along with Compliance Monitoring Analyst Katalina Soria, have begun scheduling formal reviews of several Michigan Works! Service Centers as part of their continued commitment to ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations under the Wagner-Peyser Act and the Agricultural Outreach Plan. These reviews are a critical component of the state’s efforts to:

• Ensure equitable access to services for MSFWs
• Evaluate the quality and consistency of services provided across centers
• Identify best practices and areas for improvement
• Support staff with technical assistance and guidance on compliance standards

The reviews will include an in-depth look at outreach activities, complaint systems, staff training, and the provision of career and supportive services to MSFWs. Centers selected for review will be notified in advance and provided with a checklist of materials and documentation to prepare.

These reviews are not only a compliance measure but also an opportunity for centers to showcase their work, receive constructive feedback and strengthen their service delivery to farmworker communities.