The agriculture industry in the United States has seen an historical increase in its Spanish speaking workforce (Expanded Data for Detailed Hispanic or Latino Groups Now Available, 2023; Farmworker Justice, 2022). This has presented the industry with a profound linguistic and cultural challenge that has created communication gaps among veterinarians, managers, Spanish­speaking caretakers, and Hispanic workers (Martinez Aguiriano et al., 2024; Stup & Molaney, 2003). These barriers have led to miscommunications, safety risks for animals, a decrease in workplace harmony, and cultural challenges (Martinez Aguiriano et al., 2024; Stup & Maloney, 2003). The industry is in high demand for professionals able to bridge this cultural and linguistic gap in effective ways (Landau et al., 2015; Martinez Aguiriano et al., 2024; Roman-Muniz et al., 2004; Mattson, 2019; Stup & Maloney, 2003). The purpose of this study is to examine how Spanish-language instruction at Hispanic-Serving Institutions in undergraduate agriculture programs can help meet the demand in the agriculture industry for professionals capable of working with a Spanish-speaking and Hispanic workforce, thereby improving relations within a growing bilingual nation

Faculty Mentors: Dr. Consuelo Donato and Dr. Roberto Vela Cordova

Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness, and Environmental Sciences and Department of Language and Literature