There are many different positions to take into consideration if you’re thinking about a career in agriculture. You can become an expert in agriculture regardless of your background in sales, administration, engineering, science, or manual labour.
The various types of careers in agriculture that are available are covered in this article, along with 12 of the most typical jobs in this industry.
What Are Agriculture Careers?
Careers in agriculture are those that involve farming, cultivation, and animal husbandry. These professions include a wide range, from cultivating crops and tending to the soil to rearing animals including chickens, pigs, and cattle. A career in agriculture also involves supporting and helping in the field as well as producing, marketing, and selling the products that come from livestock and crops.
Types Of Agriculture Jobs:
Work in agriculture necessitates a wide range of skill sets. The following are some of the most typical agricultural careers:
Administrative Jobs:
The experts who fill these positions support workers across the agriculture sector. They are in charge of managing offices, dealing with mail, keeping filing systems up to date, and communicating with clients. Aside from handling human resources and insurance responsibilities, administrative specialists may also manage bookkeeping and accounting activities.
Engineering Jobs:
To solve challenging challenges, engineers use advanced mathematics and science. These experts assess, design, test, and implement a variety of tools and systems. They also control production and upkeep procedures. Most engineers in the agriculture industry are structural, environmental, or mechanical engineering specialists.
Labour Jobs:
These occupations call for workers to carry out physical labour-intensive tasks like planting, harvesting, tending to animals, and maintaining equipment. Workers frequently employ specialized equipment to complete their tasks, which calls for exceptional physical strength and endurance. Work in agriculture necessitates both skilled and unskilled labour.
Sales Jobs:
Sales professionals are in charge of persuading customers to buy materials and products. They identify the demands of the client and develop solutions that are both goal-oriented and adhere to the client’s budget. Sales professionals in the agricultural industry frequently concentrate on selling seeds and feed to farm managers.
Science Jobs:
Physical and life sciences are used by scientists in research and problem-solving. They conduct studies, keep an eye on conditions, design solutions, and create goods and systems using the concepts of biology, chemistry, zoology, geology, physics, and other emphasis areas. Agriculture scientists may focus on crops, livestock, or food production.
Jobs In Agriculture:
An agriculture job may offer a fulfilling career path, regardless of your interests in administration, sales, engineering, science, or labour. Learn about the typical pay and main responsibilities for 12 positions in agriculture.
1. Farm Worker:
Primary duties: Farm employees, also referred to as farmhands, carry out necessary manual labour jobs under the direction of farmers and ranchers. They might help with irrigation systems, harvest or examine crops, or apply fertilizer and insecticides to promote plant growth while preventing weeds and insects.
These experts may brand animals, brand feed for livestock, and check animals for sickness or other issues. Some farm employees also help with the use of farm equipment and tools, as well as herding cattle. The majority of farm labourers carry out broad duties, but some focus on crops or livestock.
2. Grower:
Primary responsibilities include controlling the environment in which crops are grown to maintain their health. They create schedules that enable them to attain optimal productivity, and they plant seeds, fertilize, and water crops. Additionally, some growers might test out novel seed varieties or growth techniques.
Many farmers focus on particular crops, such as heritage plants or animal feed. The majority of farmers are required to achieve predetermined crop output and quality requirements; those that do so may be rewarded with bonuses or other forms of remuneration.
3. Grain Elevator Operator:
Operators of grain elevators help with grain storage, shipping, and purchasing. They accept deliveries of grain, carefully store it, and uphold crucial quality standards. They might help in packing the cargo for departure, drying grain, and mixing various grain varieties.
Operators of grain elevators collaborate with management to conduct grain inspections, sampling, and pricing. Some help with regulatory control, grain sales, and marketing strategies.
4. Agricultural Equipment Technician:
Maintenance, installation, and repair of equipment and tools are the key responsibilities of agricultural equipment technicians. When they perform preventive maintenance, they could refuel equipment, swap out batteries, change the oil, and lubricate moving parts. When they notice a problem, they run diagnostic tests and make the required repairs.
A technician for agricultural equipment must be able to read and understand manuals, use computers to identify issues, and record maintenance and repairs. In addition to repairing electrical systems, welding, and fabricating parts, some agricultural equipment experts also fix machinery.
5. Purchasing Agent:
Primary responsibilities include purchasing agricultural goods and raw materials at wholesale prices for processing and reuse. These experts frequently have to fulfil predetermined purchasing quotas for processors. They collaborate with several farmers who supply them with grain, milk, and other agricultural products.
Farmers’ quality standards and business operations are assessed by purchasing agents, who then agree on prices and delivery schedules and sign contracts. They often aim to establish long-term connections with suppliers and become authorities on particular items.
6. Warehouse Manager:
Farm warehouse managers are in charge of supervising all operations including the storage, shipment, and receipt of agricultural products.
They load and unload products and commodities as well as send and receive packages. Additionally, they monitor agricultural product inventory levels using software and artificial intelligence, starting shipments or deliveries when stock levels go too high or low.
Farm warehouse managers are responsible for following local and federal safety regulations when storing resources and goods properly. Most administrators of farm warehouses also oversee groups of workers, purchasers, and purchasing agents.
7. Agriculture Specialist:
Primary responsibilities: Agriculture specialists carry out administrative assistance and secretarial functions that are specific to the field of agriculture. Some agricultural experts concentrate on storage, necessitating their collaboration with farmers to create effective crop and grain storage and inventory systems.
Others focus on raising livestock, which necessitates the development of techniques for healthy animal raising and maximizing yield. Others concentrate on marketing, which involves creating print, television, radio, and digital campaigns for agricultural marketing.
8. Sales Representative:
Wholesale agriculture sales agents’ main responsibilities are to sell goods to companies and governmental organizations. By going to trade exhibitions, looking over customer lists, and following leads from current clients, they look for potential clients. They identify the demands of their clients, describe how their goods address those needs, and develop packages that satisfy clients’ requirements for timeliness and budget.
They prepare sales contracts, discuss prices, and respond to inquiries regarding product availability. The majority of wholesale agriculture sales reps follow up with clients frequently to try to close new deals and develop rapport.
9. Crop Manager:
Crop managers, also referred to as farm managers, are in charge of supervising the various stages of crop production. They oversee the selection of seeds, the planning and execution of planting operations, as well as fertilization, irrigation, and harvesting. To determine the best practices for growing crops, these specialists investigate market factors, weather predictions, and environmental concerns.
As they choose which crops to prioritize, they might also research federal incentive programs. The majority of crop managers are also in charge of managing supplies and equipment while supervising groups of growers, farm workers, and other labourers. Crop managers frequently help with bookkeeping and sales.
10. Environmental Engineer:
Primary responsibilities: Environmental engineers identify and implement solutions to issues that arise on agricultural sites using science and engineering principles. They evaluate the environment, make modifications, and conduct tests on the soil and drainage systems.
Environmental engineers design designs and systems for improving drainage, soil health, and waste filtering. A lot of environmental engineers also manage the setup, use, and upkeep of the systems they design.
11. Feed Mill Manager:
Managers of feed mills are primarily responsible for supervising the preparation and storage of animal feed. They are in charge of keeping track of inventory levels, planning the production of feed, and evaluating grain quality. These experts establish and uphold quality standards, evaluate and enhance operational practices, and monitor customer complaints.
The majority of feed mill managers are also responsible for administrative duties including creating budgets and managing teams of employees.
12. Research Scientist:
Primary responsibilities: Research scientists with a focus on agriculture frequently work as food scientists who investigate and create procedures for producing, preserving, and packing food. They analyze the nutritional content of ingredients, look into new food sources, and devise methods for making food healthier or more appetizing using biology, chemistry, and other life sciences.
However, some food scientists are experts in identifying toxins or carrying out governmental requirements. Food scientists are typically in charge of creating or upgrading products.
