Navigating Minnesota’s New Paid Leave For Farmers Program

Navigating Minnesota’s New Paid Leave For Farmers Program

From Minnesota CropCast by University of Minnesota Extension

April 28, 2026 · 24 min · Episode 65

About this episode

The episode discusses Minnesota's new Paid Leave Program for farmers and its implications for agricultural employers.

Special Guest: Rob Holcomb, Regional Extension Educator in Farm Business Management (Marshall Regional Extension Office) Attention Minnesota farmers and agricultural producers! Are you up to speed on the latest state employment regulations impacting your operation? In Episode #65 of MN CropCast, hosts David Nicolai and Seth Naeve sit down with Rob Holcomb to discuss a critical and timely topic: Minnesota's new Paid Leave Program . While traditional corporate employers might be accustomed to navigating complex leave programs, these recent state mandates represent uncharted territory for many farmers. If your operation relies on hired help and you are issuing W-2s, this episode is a must-listen. What you’ll learn in this episode: The Basics of the Mandate: A breakdown of the new Minnesota paid leave program (at the highest level) and how it applies to agricultural employers. Who is Affected: Whether your focus is on crops or livestock, if you manage labor and issue W-2s at year’s end, these rules apply to you. Compliance and Best Practices: Important considerations and actionable advice to ensure your farming operation remains compliant with these new state-level labor…

People in this episode

Hosts: David Nicolai, Seth Naeve

Guest: Rob Holcomb

Topics covered

  • paid leave program
  • agricultural employment regulations
  • compliance
  • farm business management
  • labor management

Keywords

  • Minnesota
  • paid leave
  • farmers
  • employment regulations
  • W-2s
  • labor compliance
  • agriculture

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Minnesota Extension

Places: Minnesota

More episodes of Minnesota CropCast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Minnesota CropCast podcast page.