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Aaron Reinhart of Jesup, walks through a corn field looking for tassels.
CHRISTINA SENNERT / Courier Staff Photographer
CHRISTINA SENNERT / Courier Staff Photographer
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Detasseling heats up
By MATTHEW WILDE, Courier Staff Writer
WATERLOO --- Detasseling is hard work. Finding enough labor --- namely teenagers --- is becoming harder as well.
Local detasseling contractors are realizing it's no longer enough just to offer a decent wage to find quality help. To compete these days against the retail and food service sectors and each other, contractors are offering bonuses and other perks to keep kids in the fields.
Everything from trips to Adventureland to extra money for good attendance is on the table. Detasseling contractors say it's apparently working since they can still find enough workers to get the job done.
"Everyone has their own gimmick," said Don Briggs. The University of Northern Iowa instructor and former wrestling coach has run a crew for 30 years.
Briggs entices workers with free water jugs --- a handy gift on hot and humid days --- attendance and quality bonuses and a reputation of treating workers right. He learned long ago not to work crews too hard on extremely hot days.
"I remember 20 years ago it was 105 degrees and I'm pushing my crew. My boss was driving by and slammed on his brakes and said, 'what are you doing?'" Briggs said. "I had 17 people quit that day."
Detasseling --- removing tassels to prevent corn from pollinating itself so seed companies can create new hybrids --- is dirty, hot, sweaty work. When area crews started working about 10 days ago, it coincided with an extreme wave of heat and humidity, even for July.
Contractors thought it might cause attrition rates to be higher than normal. That doesn't appear to be the case, and many believe the perks help.
Bob "Hollywood" Mervin of Waterloo, owner of Hollywood's Detasseling, does whatever it takes to keep his crew happy ... and together. He hired about 120 people this year with the hopes 80 to 90 show up on a regular basis to get through 500 acres for the season, which usually lasts a little more than three weeks.
Mervin starts workers at $7 an hour, but they'll get $8 if they work 90 percent of the season. For the 25 workers with the most hours, he'll treat them to a day at Adventureland in Des Moines and supper.
He's also been known to buy employees lunch or a cold treat at the end of a long day.
"I try to make it fun for the crew. If we have a short day, maybe I'll swing through Fontana Park (near Hazleton) to see the wild animals and have a big water fight," Mervin said.
Mervin can remember when he made less than $2 an hour detasseling as a kid. Decades ago there wasn't much competition for young workers and contractors didn't have to offer extra incentives, he said.
But contractors say retailers and the fast food joints, especially in the metro area, that typically hire teenagers are closing the gap. Many are offering better wages and more comfortable environments, compared to getting slapped in the face by corn shortly after sunrise.
There's also more detasseling contractors and seed corn companies vying for workers.
Jim Miller remembers when it was just him, Briggs and one or two other detasseling contractors in the area. Now, there's maybe 10.
"There's been a lot of competition," said Miller, a contractor fro 20 years. When he's not in the field he's on the mat, as Wartburg College's head wrestling coach.
Miller signed up about 300 people at the beginning of the season, but less than 200 work on any given day. Some never show up, finding other work. Others show up intermittently. He contracts about 2,000 acres with Pioneer Hi-Bred International.
To entice people to show up every day, he'll bump up their hourly wage by $1 for perfect attendance. Base pay for first-year workers is $6 an hour. Veterans earn 50 cents more per hour for each year on the crew.
"It's tough, honest work ... but a great experience," Miller said. "Kids still know they can make as much money in a month than they could all summer (at another job)."
Contact Matthew Wilde at (319) 291-1579 or matt.wilde@wcfcourier.com.
Local detasseling contractors are realizing it's no longer enough just to offer a decent wage to find quality help. To compete these days against the retail and food service sectors and each other, contractors are offering bonuses and other perks to keep kids in the fields.
Everything from trips to Adventureland to extra money for good attendance is on the table. Detasseling contractors say it's apparently working since they can still find enough workers to get the job done.
"Everyone has their own gimmick," said Don Briggs. The University of Northern Iowa instructor and former wrestling coach has run a crew for 30 years.
Briggs entices workers with free water jugs --- a handy gift on hot and humid days --- attendance and quality bonuses and a reputation of treating workers right. He learned long ago not to work crews too hard on extremely hot days.
"I remember 20 years ago it was 105 degrees and I'm pushing my crew. My boss was driving by and slammed on his brakes and said, 'what are you doing?'" Briggs said. "I had 17 people quit that day."
Detasseling --- removing tassels to prevent corn from pollinating itself so seed companies can create new hybrids --- is dirty, hot, sweaty work. When area crews started working about 10 days ago, it coincided with an extreme wave of heat and humidity, even for July.
Contractors thought it might cause attrition rates to be higher than normal. That doesn't appear to be the case, and many believe the perks help.
Bob "Hollywood" Mervin of Waterloo, owner of Hollywood's Detasseling, does whatever it takes to keep his crew happy ... and together. He hired about 120 people this year with the hopes 80 to 90 show up on a regular basis to get through 500 acres for the season, which usually lasts a little more than three weeks.
Mervin starts workers at $7 an hour, but they'll get $8 if they work 90 percent of the season. For the 25 workers with the most hours, he'll treat them to a day at Adventureland in Des Moines and supper.
He's also been known to buy employees lunch or a cold treat at the end of a long day.
"I try to make it fun for the crew. If we have a short day, maybe I'll swing through Fontana Park (near Hazleton) to see the wild animals and have a big water fight," Mervin said.
Mervin can remember when he made less than $2 an hour detasseling as a kid. Decades ago there wasn't much competition for young workers and contractors didn't have to offer extra incentives, he said.
But contractors say retailers and the fast food joints, especially in the metro area, that typically hire teenagers are closing the gap. Many are offering better wages and more comfortable environments, compared to getting slapped in the face by corn shortly after sunrise.
There's also more detasseling contractors and seed corn companies vying for workers.
Jim Miller remembers when it was just him, Briggs and one or two other detasseling contractors in the area. Now, there's maybe 10.
"There's been a lot of competition," said Miller, a contractor fro 20 years. When he's not in the field he's on the mat, as Wartburg College's head wrestling coach.
Miller signed up about 300 people at the beginning of the season, but less than 200 work on any given day. Some never show up, finding other work. Others show up intermittently. He contracts about 2,000 acres with Pioneer Hi-Bred International.
To entice people to show up every day, he'll bump up their hourly wage by $1 for perfect attendance. Base pay for first-year workers is $6 an hour. Veterans earn 50 cents more per hour for each year on the crew.
"It's tough, honest work ... but a great experience," Miller said. "Kids still know they can make as much money in a month than they could all summer (at another job)."
Contact Matthew Wilde at (319) 291-1579 or matt.wilde@wcfcourier.com.
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