the simple answer is they literally can't afford to pay for a better qualified harder working employee. local milk processing facility can offer better wages, 8 hour shifts, as well as benefits... only thing a farmer can provide that the processor can't is fresh air and less co-workers.
i think that my brother-in-laws boss has realized something else too, hire employees from out of the area. it isn't always feasible but if someone is willing to move 3-4+hours away to work for you they are coming to WORK, a lot of the low skill jobs that end up having people filter through them by the week/month/quarter someone is showing up for a paycheck.
often those willing to move far away from home and be reliable are foreign employees.
