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Put yourselves in their shoes

For Cactus Family Farms, today’s farm employee stems from one of two main groups. The first being the local employees near their headquarters in Osceola, Iowa. According to HR Specialist Heather Vaughn, 80% of those local applicants are Hispanic. They often have little formal education or prior experience with pigs and sometimes speak traditional indigenous languages as well as Spanish.

The other side of that coin is a completely different pool of applicants. Through the North American Free Trade Agreement, they also have the option to hire employees with a TN visa. For this specific visa, applicants must either be from Canada or Mexico, however Vaughn says that the agriculture industry primarily relies on Mexican candidates.

Another specification to the TN visa is that they have to have some level of an advanced degree.

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What Makes Mycoplasma Elimination Work? - Dr. Dyneah Classen

Video: What Makes Mycoplasma Elimination Work? - Dr. Dyneah Classen



In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Dyneah Classen, a veterinarian and partner with Carthage Veterinary Service, discusses practical strategies for eliminating Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae from sow herds. The conversation explains why successful programs depend on defining time zero, maintaining a herd closure, using medication strategically, verifying water delivery, and building clear protocols for farm teams. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Anytime you can make check sheets, you create a clearer process and a record of what was done."

Meet the guest: Dr. Dyneah Classen earned a DVM from the University of Illinois in 2007 and is a veterinarian and partner with Carthage Veterinary Service in Carthage, Illinois. Her experience connects disease elimination with healthier finishing populations and improved production outcomes. Learn more from Dr. Dyneah Classen on The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, available on all major platforms.