Ag Partners Begins Second Year With J1 Visa Program
Apr 07, 2023
In 2022, Ag Partners welcomed four new team members from Ukraine and also four from Tanzania. Many customers and community members had the chance to meet some of those individuals at various locations and events over the past year. Their one-year tenures with Ag Partners have been expiring throughout the past few months, with the final two returning home this April.
This spring, Ag Partners is looking forward to continuing the program with a new group of individuals to train and learn from. The program will grow to 10 this year, with new team members coming from Zimbabwe, Philippines, and Tanzania. "We are eager to welcome a new group of individuals to our team this year and again take part in the J1 Visa Program," said Lacey Dalinghaus, Senior VP of Human Resources. "Our team has received great benefits from our current and previous J1 Visa students, and we look forward to sharing with and training new individuals from Zimbabwe, Philippines, and Tanzania about the American agriculture industry. We look forward to them joining our team!"
On Monday, the first three employees of the year were introduced to the Ag Partners employee group. Greg, Simbarashe and Kudzai, all from Zimbabwe, will be living and working in the company's western territory under the guidance of Terry Broxterman, Regional Operations Manager.
Welcome Greg, Simbarashe and Kudzai!
Images from the 2022-2023 J1 Visa Program Team
What is the J1 Visa Program?
An international exchange program that enables experienced interns and trainees to be placed on U.S. farms and agricultural operations. The intent of the program is that workers arrive with a higher-than-average level of experience, gain additional training, share their knowledge with the host business and return to their home country to further their agricultural career and improve their community. J1 is an alternative to the H-2A program that has become common in the industry as a way of filling temporary jobs.
Why does Ag Partners take part in this program?
Programs like J1 are a great resource to fill more seasonal-type jobs for which domestic workers are not available. What stands out about J1 is that the program focuses on workers with a higher level of experience in agriculture than other programs and allows them to stay in the U.S. for a full year. This helps Ag Partners to fill roles and simplify training, but also off ers us new perspectives from people with their own education and training from outside of our local areas.
This spring, Ag Partners is looking forward to continuing the program with a new group of individuals to train and learn from. The program will grow to 10 this year, with new team members coming from Zimbabwe, Philippines, and Tanzania. "We are eager to welcome a new group of individuals to our team this year and again take part in the J1 Visa Program," said Lacey Dalinghaus, Senior VP of Human Resources. "Our team has received great benefits from our current and previous J1 Visa students, and we look forward to sharing with and training new individuals from Zimbabwe, Philippines, and Tanzania about the American agriculture industry. We look forward to them joining our team!"
On Monday, the first three employees of the year were introduced to the Ag Partners employee group. Greg, Simbarashe and Kudzai, all from Zimbabwe, will be living and working in the company's western territory under the guidance of Terry Broxterman, Regional Operations Manager.
Welcome Greg, Simbarashe and Kudzai!
Images from the 2022-2023 J1 Visa Program Team
What is the J1 Visa Program?
An international exchange program that enables experienced interns and trainees to be placed on U.S. farms and agricultural operations. The intent of the program is that workers arrive with a higher-than-average level of experience, gain additional training, share their knowledge with the host business and return to their home country to further their agricultural career and improve their community. J1 is an alternative to the H-2A program that has become common in the industry as a way of filling temporary jobs.
Why does Ag Partners take part in this program?
Programs like J1 are a great resource to fill more seasonal-type jobs for which domestic workers are not available. What stands out about J1 is that the program focuses on workers with a higher level of experience in agriculture than other programs and allows them to stay in the U.S. for a full year. This helps Ag Partners to fill roles and simplify training, but also off ers us new perspectives from people with their own education and training from outside of our local areas.