Farm Agricultural Worker
Farm laborers are employed in a wide range of agricultural tasks, from managing specialized agricultural facilities like animal breeding to performing daily manual labor on farms.
What does an agricultural farm worker do?
Duties
As an agricultural worker, you will be required to perform a variety of crucial tasks, such as the following:
- To ensure that the choice and use of farm products are appropriate, evaluate and identify any plants, pests, or weeds.
- As needed, prepare farmland for the growth of a range of horticultural products, including flowers, plants, sod, and trees.
- For the course of the job, keep records of the crops, pesticide or herbicide applications, and crop yields.
- Farm soil should be irrigated, and any nearby pipes, pumps, or ditches should be noted.
- Check the cleanliness or potential presence of infection among the livestock in their pens, cages, hutches, or yards.
Everyday Life
Getting plants, food, or other agricultural products to markets will take up a large portion of your day as an agricultural worker on a farm.
On a farm, you can have a variety of everyday responsibilities, such as planting or harvesting crops, setting up irrigation systems, or raising livestock.
You will spend your time planting, sowing, trimming, irrigating, harvesting, packing, and loading crops when they are ready for shipping if you work in a nursery or greenhouse.
To preserve crop quality, you will also be in charge of utilizing pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers as necessary. Nuts, veggies, fiber, grains, and fruit are just a few of the crops you might plant and harvest.
You will take care of animals including cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, poultry, and more if you work as an animal farm worker on a farm or ranch.
Your responsibilities may include feeding, watering, herding, branding, and loading animals depending on whether they are being raised for meat, eggs, or skins. Your job description in this situation also includes giving livestock meds, shots, and pesticides.
Schedule For Work And Typical Hours
On a farm, work is done on a flexible schedule rather than a 40-hour workweek. Long workdays and weekend overtime are rather typical. Normally, you’ll be working outside in all types of weather.
If you travel from farm to farm as an animal breeder, you will be giving livestock advice to various ranchers and farmers. Numerous bending, stooping, and lifting movements are necessary when harvesting and planting a variety of crops.
The majority of farm laborers will follow seasonal work schedules. However, you might have to put in more hours during the planting or harvesting seasons or when animals need to be fed or housed. You should plan to work 6-7 hours per week during these times.
Expansion of the job
Due to the increasing need for crops and other agricultural products, this profession has bright possibilities shortly.
Better prospects are being created by newer technology’s improved productivity per farm worker. Smaller-scale direct-to-consumer farms have become more popular as well, as they favor employing agricultural employees over purchasing expensive machinery.
People routinely leave the industry due to the physically demanding nature of the labor, thus there are always openings.
Common Employers
All around the country, farms, ranches, and agricultural institutions employ farm laborers. Among the companies that employ people are Farmin’ Brand LLC, Carlos & Ernestine Galicia Farms, Tyson Foods, Inc., McCausland and Lakin Farms, and Pacific Seafood Group.
How to Work as an Agricultural Worker on a Farm
The majority of farm agricultural workers receive brief on-the-job training and are not required to hold a high school education; however, people looking for jobs as animal breeders would benefit from having a high school diploma.
Depending on the position, training on farms might run anywhere from a month to a year. You will learn how to use fundamental farming implements and complicated machines while adhering to safety regulations.
You must have a current driver’s license or commercial driver’s license to operate a car on public roads or operate a tractor-trailer.
You should possess an in-depth understanding of product and livestock if you want to hold supervisory jobs like crew leader or manager. To work as an agricultural or food scientist, earn a degree in agricultural science.
Physical stamina and strength are two attributes you’ll need to succeed in this industry. The majority of the work is strenuous activities including lifting bulky objects like crops and farm equipment.
Superior mechanical skills will come in helpful since maintaining daily operations on a farm necessitates running complicated machinery and carrying out normal maintenance activities.
Data on the Wages of agricultural workers
The information below will help you learn more about this profession. The editorial material and recommendations on this page are based on our research, while the income and growth information is based on newly released Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Low Range for National Annual Salaries
$21,780 Average $31,850
Exceptional $49,320
Nationwide minimum wage
Low Range is $10/hour, the Average $15/hour, and High Range is $24/hour
How do farm agricultural worker wages compare to those at other American jobs?
According to the most recent statistics on employment across the country, farm agricultural workers can earn an average yearly wage of $31,850, or $15 per hour.
It is therefore a Salary Above Average. Depending on the state you live in and perhaps when just starting, they can make as little as $21,780, or $10 per hour.