Farmer Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a farmer. Feel free to use our farmer job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a farmer.
Who is a Farmer?
A farmer is a person who works in agriculture and produces a variety of food products for humans and animals. Farmers come in a variety of forms, from animal raisers to crop growers.
Farmers are in charge of the crops and livestock required for our survival. Without food, the world would die slowly, and farmers work hard every day to ensure that there are enough crops and animal products on the market to prevent this.
To make a living and feed the population, a farmer’s major purpose is to produce a good crop and/or healthy animals.
Within their specific field, a farmer has a variety of responsibilities. A farmer needs a broad knowledge base of the agricultural business as a whole, whether it’s purchasing and planting seeds on a cash crop farm, obtaining superior breeding stock on an animal husbandry farm, or the nutrition and care of a specific type of livestock on an animal production farm.
A farmer often needs a solid working understanding of mechanics in order to keep their equipment functioning and in optimal condition, in addition to general knowledge of planting dates, breeding cycles, and harvesting periods.
A farmer must have a thorough understanding of the constraints and rules of the Food and Drug Administration, state agencies, and municipal governments, as the agriculture industry is heavily regulated.
The following are examples of different sorts of farmers:
Organic farmer: someone who grows fruits, vegetables, cereals, or cattle without using pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers.
Crops of grain and forage Farmer – grows grains such as wheat, barley, canola, oats, rye, flax, peas, and specialty crops or forage crops, as well as specialty crops or forage crops.
Dairy Farmer – a person who owns or manages a farm where cows are raised for the purpose of producing milk and other dairy products.
Poultry Farmer – a person who raises domesticated birds like geese, ducks, turkeys, or chickens.
Rancher – a person who raises livestock like cattle or sheep, as well as less common animals such elk, bison, ostriches, emus, and alpacas.
Beekeepers– keep honey bees and produce honey, pollen, royal jelly, and beeswax, among other products.
Vermiculturists– are those who breed worms and employ them to convert waste items like uneaten food, feces, grass clippings, and rotten fruits and vegetables into nutritious, nutrient-rich soil and organic fertilizer.
Alligator Farmers– Breeds and produces alligators and crocodiles for the purpose of producing leather, meat, and other products.
Farmer Job Description
Below are the farmer job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a farmer job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a farmer include the following:
- Doing manual labor
- Taking care of the farm’s maintenance.
- Handling heavy machinery
- Troubleshooting and repairing vehicles and machinery that aren’t working properly.
- Farming activity management.
- Supervising farmworkers.
- Considering market conditions, government program availability, and soil conditions while deciding how to farm crops or cattle.
- Adapting their responsibilities to the seasons, weather circumstances, or the growing cycle of a crop.
- Planting, fertilizing, harvesting, and herding are all processes in the agricultural production and ranging process that must be supervised.
- Maintaining farm infrastructure including water lines, hoses, fences, and animal shelters.
- Choosing and buying goods including seed, fertilizer, and farm machinery.
- Formulating harvesting or breeding plans.
- Cooperating with the client.
Qualifications
- Previous agricultural experience is preferred.
- Best farming methods knowledge.
- Ability to work on location for long periods of time.
- Excellent communication abilities
- Physically fit is required.
- Excellent coordination of hands and eyes.
Essential Skills
- Time management
Farmers may work from dawn till dusk, depending on the time of year. You risk missing a good harvesting chance if you take too much time off. In order to fulfill market demand, good farmers need to be able to manage their time effectively and consistently.
- Interpersonal
As a farmer, you frequently supervise farmhands as they complete their tasks. They are more motivated when they have effective communication and compassion. They are also more likely to finish their tasks if they have strong coaching skills.
Farmers can also use interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with buyers. Their interpersonal skills, for example, enable them to negotiate better pricing for their animals. Furthermore, their interpersonal abilities assist them in forming a community that may offer them resources such as loaner equipment or supplies when needed.
- Repairing and maintaining mechanical systems
Farmers must maintain a wide range of farming equipment and tools in order to carry out their responsibilities. Because this job requires a wide range of mechanical abilities, it’s critical to have them. Farmers can avoid having to rely on a repair specialist by being able to make routine repairs to items like buildings and equipment. They are able to save money and time by not having to wait for a repairman.
- Technology
While you don’t have to buy every new technical equipment that comes out, it’s crucial to be aware of new technological breakthroughs in agriculture. It’s critical to be aware of current developments in pesticide use, irrigation, and techniques to improve cultivation, harvest, storage, and transportation, for example.
- Agricultural operations
While it may seem self-evident, farmers must have a thorough awareness of the agricultural and agriculture industries as a whole. They are able to complete their regular tasks on the farm with ease thanks to their general agricultural skills. Raising animals or cultivating the soil are examples of such responsibilities.
- Organizational Skills
To keep correct records of a variety of paperwork, both farmers and organic farmers require solid organizational abilities. Invoices, warranties, labor contracts, and payroll are just some of the documents involved. Keeping track of your certification papers is extremely critical for organic farmers. While you can always pay someone to handle the paperwork, it’s crucial to have these skills in your toolbox, especially if you’re just starting out on the farm.
- Problem-solving
Farming requires excellent problem-solving skills because it is a trial-and-error vocation. A farmer, for example, is always looking for new ways to improve his or her crop harvesting. Weather can create harvesting delays when it occurs unexpectedly. In this type of situation, it’s critical for a farmer to know how to react and make sound decisions. You can ensure a good season regardless of the unexpected scenarios that emerge if you have great problem-solving skills.
- Adaptability
When confronted with unforeseen events or scenarios, it’s critical to be flexible and adaptable as a farmer. Keep in mind that while what you learn in school can help you prepare for a job as a farmer, it isn’t the same as getting hands-on experience in the field.
When it comes to the farming sector, it’s also critical to be adaptable. Your ability in this area aids you in adapting to changing industry and consumer expectations. By adopting new approaches or procedures and anticipating impending issues, remaining flexible assures you know how to deal with these new challenges.
- Health and physical stamina
As a farmer, you’ll spend the majority of your time walking around the farm lifting, dragging, and pulling goods.
To survive rigorous activities, you must have a high level of physical stamina. You’ll have to carry out these responsibilities in a variety of weather situations, including extreme heat and cold.
How to Become a Farmer
- Look at various farming professions.
Researching the many farming occupations available is the first step in becoming a farmer. Some people maintain commercial farms that deliver large amounts of food, food products, raw resources, or livestock around the country. Others operate small farms that cater to a specific demographic or locality. A beekeeper, micro farmer, or urban farmer, for example, can specialize in delivering items to residents of a certain neighborhood. Some people decide that they wish to run a farm that is based on community participation and engagement. Farms and vineyards that allow you to choose your own fruits, for example, frequently conduct events for which admission fees are charged.
Take the time to learn about the number of farms in your area. You can also learn a lot about agricultural careers by going online or attending first-generation farming seminars. This preliminary study can assist you in narrowing your selections and identifying your passions.
- Speak with people who work in the agricultural industry.
Following your research on the many sorts of farms accessible, you will most likely have a short list of farming job options that you are interested in. Use this list to figure out who to contact in the farming industry. If you want to start an urban farm, a pick-your-own farm, or a vineyard, talk to people who have experience with such types of enterprises.
You may call a farming company and set up an informational interview, or you could stop by your local farmer’s market and ask a few informal inquiries. Ask questions about the farmer’s daily routine, expectations, when they started, and if they are pleased with their job as part of your study to acquire vital knowledge for your career planning.
- Submit an application for an entry-level position.
The next step is to apply for an entry-level position, whether you’ve restricted your options to one or several. Before making any major life changes or investing large quantities of money, you should get some farming experience to see if this is the proper career route for you.
You can also use your entry-level employment to make professional connections, enhance your abilities, find a mentor, and possibly land a mid-level agricultural career.
- Educate yourself as much as you can about farming.
There are no formal educational requirements for professional farmers. Earning an associate or bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences, farm business, sustainability, or botany, on the other hand, may be beneficial if you want to own or manage a farm. A scientific or business degree will help you comprehend the complexities of farming, as well as the economic and financial sides of owning a farm.
It’s critical to spend time learning about the agricultural process, how to utilize the equipment and tools, and what to expect from this profession. You can educate yourself on farming by reading books, completing certification classes, or attending seminars instead of or in addition to your two or four-year degree program.
- Make a plan.
Create a business strategy and a business model that outlines costs, spending, production targets, and projected earnings. Your plans should detail where you want to start your farm and whether or not you will need to relocate.
Keep a ledger of your transactions with suppliers and track all of your spending and income.
- Invest in your tools
To begin a farming business, you will require specific machines, equipment, and tools. You may now locate and acquire the equipment you’ll need to keep your farm running, based on your study, business plan, and financial projections. Tractors, plows, harvesters, hay balers, and mills are examples of equipment that you might need.
- Engage the services of a farming crew.
Finding and training a staff of skilled personnel is the final step in preparing your new farm for operation. Investigate the exact farming industry you want to work in, as well as the responsibilities that are required in that area. You’ll almost certainly need to fill a number of full-time and part-time positions.
Where to Work as a Farmer
Farmers are involved in the operation of farms or manage them. They usually work outside, although when processing documents, they may sometimes operate in an office. Many farmers own farms, run family farms, or lease property to manage working farms. They might operate on small farms alone or manage huge farms with the help of a team of agricultural experts. They might oversee and manage fields, buildings, and delivery services, depending on the size of the farm.
- Fish farms
Farmers will run a big fishery, generally specializing in a single fish species, such as tilapia. These farmers specialize in raising fish that will be processed for human food or put into lakes, rivers, and streams to help repopulate a dying waterway. Fishermen must understand the characteristics of the species they are growing, as well as the environmental regulations imposed by federal, state, and local governments.
- Farmlands/ Agricultural Industries/plant.
A farmer will plant crops for human use, medical purposes, animal feed, and the developing herbal industry. In this field, a farmer is in charge of planting, fertilizing, and harvesting the crops, as well as transporting them to the appropriate production elevators for sale upon harvest. To get a decent footing in their field, cash crop farmers will require a solid understanding of planting, harvesting, and weather patterns.
Some of these crops may be processed and resold to farmers for use in the future. Seed firms buy these crops, treat and process them, and then sell them to farmers as seeds for planting their fields the next season.
- Animal Farms
Farmers focus on producing robust, hardy livestock that can be processed for human use later. In this industry, farmers frequently specialize in one type of animal, meticulously breeding the animals to produce the highest quality progeny each season. After a period of time, offspring are produced to take the place of the current breeding stock, with the current breeding stock being sold. Animal husbandry necessitates a thorough understanding of bloodlines and species kinds, as well as the best out-crossings of those types for optimum breeding results.
A portion of the progeny may also be sold to other farms that specialize in livestock production to be reared for a specific purpose. A veal farm, for example, is a specialized livestock producer that might buy offspring from an animal husbandry farm for a specific production purpose. These farms are responsible for keeping the calves on a particular diet, monitoring their health, and selling them to production facilities at the appropriate age, weight, and size to provide the essential product requirements for their field. Animal production farmers will need to be familiar with the diets, illnesses, treatments, and growth rates that are specific to their fields.
Farmer Salary Scale
As of February 25, 2022, the average Farmer’s pay is $44,296; however, salaries frequently range from $38,383 to $57,112. Salary ranges depend on various factors including schooling, certifications, supplementary talents, and the number of years you’ve worked in your field.
In Nigeria, a worker working in gardening, farming, or fishing earns roughly 204,000 NGN per month. Salaries range from 85,700 NGN (the lowest average) to 504,000 NGN (the highest average) (highest average, the actual maximum salary is higher).
This is the monthly average salary, which covers housing, transportation, and other benefits. Salaries in the Gardening, Farming and Fishing industries vary greatly.