This Apprenticeship Helps Spanish Speakers Get Grazing

Note: Due to political concerns around immigration, some apprentices spoke with Modern Farmer on condition of anonymity. 

Diego (not his real name) was no stranger to cows when he first came to the United States. He’d grown up on his family’s farm in Veracruz, Mexico, helping to tend the dairy herd and other animals.

But after moving to America a little over three years ago, Diego realized he still had lots to learn. He’d started working at a Wisconsin farm owned by Joe Tomandl III, who practices a type of dairying called managed grazing. Tomandl’s cows spend their days rotating between different pastures of perennial grasses, an approach that greatly reduces his feed costs while also building organic matter in the soil to help fight climate change. 

Although Diego hadn’t encountered managed grazing in Mexico, he was eager to pick up the skills. Yet apprehending the technical details of cattle nutrition, soil science, and farm business management, all while navigating the barrier of English as a second language, was a daunting prospect.

Fortunately for Diego, Tomandl also happens to be the executive director of the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship, a nonprofit that works to train would-be graziers in the trade. And in 2021, the DGA had received a $654,000 grant from the USDA’s 2501 Program, which supports underserved and veteran agricultural workers, to expand its offerings for Hispanic dairy employees.  

The funding had helped the DGA translate classes and other apprenticeship materials into Spanish, as well as provide real-time interpretation at training events such as on-farm pasture walks. Late last year Diego, along with fellow Tomandl employees Miguel and Luis (not their real names), became the program’s first officially enrolled Spanish-language apprentices.

“I didn’t know about the benefits of grazing and the effects of the seasons on grasses. I learned a lot here, especially since we don’t have these practices in my town,” Diego says through an interpreter.

“This is a rare opportunity, and I am very proud to be one of the first students to participate. It will be great for our future.”

Jessica Duran is confident Diego’s cohort won’t be the last. A Mexican immigrant herself — she grew up in Mexico City and trained as a veterinarian before moving to the US — she directs the DGA’s Managed Grazing Innovation Center, the classroom component of the apprenticeship, and has been closely involved in the program’s Spanish-language effort.

Spanish-speaking immigrants, Duran points out, make up a substantial proportion of the US dairy workforce. Estimates vary, but a 2015 study by Texas A&M University found that immigrants represented 51 percent of the country’s dairy labor and were responsible for producing 79 percent of the milk supply. In Wisconsin, where Tomandl’s farm is located, the proportion of immigrant dairy labor is likely closer to 70 percent, per a 2023 survey by the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

While immigrants are prevalent in America’s dairies, Duran continues, it’s rare to find them in management or farm ownership. The DGA, with its blend of on-farm practice, academic learning, and business training, aims to set up graduating apprentices for more advanced positions.

That’s the goal of Miguel, who’s been working at US dairies for 19 years after moving from a family-owned beef farm in Estado de Mexico. He has extensive experience in the field, but he believes the DGA’s support and certification will take his career to the next level.

The apprenticeship has encouraged Miguel to focus on the theory behind the skills he already possesses in an accessible and engaging way. “If someone is practicing and learning, it’s going to be easier — and it’s so interesting,” he says through an interpreter.

Beyond translation, Duran says, the DGA has made a few tweaks to the Spanish-language version of the program to make it more accessible for immigrants. Because many immigrant workers don’t have regular computer access, she explains, the apprenticeship’s classroom work is available via a smartphone app. Students can submit written assignments by taking photos of notebook pages or record videos in response to discussion questions. The program is also developing Spanish print resources for material that’s hard to follow on a small phone screen.  

Other DGA-affiliated graziers with Spanish-speaking employees plan to enroll them in the apprenticeship in the fall, and while the program has two bilingual instructors, Duran plans to hire someone with Spanish as a first language as well. “I feel like when your instructor comes from the same country or understands more, you feel more comfortable talking or sharing your experiences,” she says.

It’s unclear, however, if the USDA will be willing to support that work in the coming years. Outgoing Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack had explicitly mentioned diversity, equity, and inclusion when announcing the 2501 Program grants that funded the DGA’s Spanish-language work. But a January 20 executive order by President Donald Trump called such efforts “illegal and immoral discrimination programs” and ordered their termination “under whatever name they appear.” The USDA office responsible for administering the 2501 Program did not respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, the current crop of Spanish-language apprentices is pressing on with their lessons. They hope the managed-grazing skills they develop will lead to better careers for themselves, healthier cows for their dairies, and a more sustainable planet for all — including those living in their homeland.

“I may even be able to share what I learn with others in Mexico and spread awareness about the DGA,” says Diego.

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