Ah, the good old, “You’re going to do the work anyway” argument. It seems to pop up like an unwelcome weed whenever pricing comes into the conversation. Some folks genuinely believe that labor costs shouldn’t factor into the price of farm goods because, apparently, farmers are out here working “for fun.” Let’s pause for a moment and consider the absurdity of that logic. Would anyone in a different profession be told the same thing? Imagine walking into an office and telling someone, “Hey, don’t expect to get paid—you’re already here, typing on your computer anyway.” Ridiculous, right?
Farming is work—hard, gritty, and often unrelenting work. It’s early mornings spent feeding animals, long days cleaning coops, evenings repairing broken equipment, and weekends hauling feed, collecting eggs, or planting crops. It’s labor in every sense of the word, and like any job, that labor has value. When you pay for eggs, produce, or meat from a farm, you’re not just paying for the final product. You’re paying for the time and effort it took to raise those chickens, grow those vegetables, or tend to those animals.
Let’s break it down. Labor isn’t just about the act of doing—it’s about the time you dedicate, time that could be spent doing other things if this wasn’t your livelihood. When we set our prices, we include the cost of labor because that’s what makes this a business, not a charity. And no, farmers aren’t “just doing the work anyway.” We’re doing it because it’s how we keep the farm running, put food on the table, and build a future. If we didn’t include labor costs in our pricing, we’d essentially be working for free. And last I checked, no one’s lining up to put in a full day of farm work without expecting some sort of compensation.
The truth is, this isn’t just about money—it’s about respect. Expecting farmers to work for free devalues what we do. It implies that our time and energy are less deserving of payment than, say, an office worker, a mechanic, or a teacher. And that assumption stings, especially when you consider just how much farming contributes to society. We’re not just growing food; we’re growing futures, communities, and connections to the land.
So here’s a thought: the next time you see someone arguing that farmers shouldn’t include labor in their pricing, flip the script. Ask them if they’d like to come and work for free—shovel manure, haul feed, wrangle chickens, repair fences, the works. I’ll bet you won’t have many takers. Because deep down, everyone knows that hard work deserves fair pay. It’s just a matter of applying that same logic to farmers.
What’s your take? Let’s pull up a chair and hash it out. Because the labor debate isn’t just about pricing—it’s about recognizing the true value of a farmer’s time and effort.
