Farmer - Careers, Jobs, Education, Training

Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers feed the entire country! They direct the activities of one of the world’s largest and most productive agricultural sectors. They produce enough food to meet the needs of the United States and produce a surplus for export to feed people in other countries.

Farmers and ranchers own and operate mainly family-owned farms. They may also lease land from a landowner and operate it as a working farm. The type of farm they operate determines their specific tasks. On crop farms, farms growing grain, cotton, and other fibers, fruit, and vegetables, farmers are responsible for preparing, tilling, planting, fertilizing, cultivating, spraying, and harvesting. After the harvest, they make sure the crops are properly packaged, stored, or marketed.

Livestock, dairy, and poultry farmers must feed and care for the animals and keep barns, pens, coops, and other farm buildings clean and in good condition. They also plan and oversee breeding and marketing activities. Horticultural specialty farmers oversee the production of ornamental plants, nursery products, such as flowers, bulbs, shrubbery, and sod, and fruits and vegetables grown in greenhouses.

Aquaculture farmers raise fish in marine, brackish, or fresh water, usually in ponds, floating net pens, raceways, or re-circulating systems. They stock, feed, protect, and otherwise manage aquatic life sold for consumption or used for recreational fishing. The next time you go to the grocery store, think of the farmer responsible for what you are about to eat for supper!

Farmers and ranchers have a large variety of work tasks that keep them very busy beyond a typical eight hour workday. Responsibilities of farmers and ranchers may include caring for livestock, operating machinery, or maintaining equipment and facilities. The size of the farm or ranch often determines which of these tasks farmers and ranchers will handle themselves. Although employment on most farms is limited to the farmer and one or two family workers or hired employees, some large farms have 100 or more full-time and seasonal workers. Some of these employees are in non-farm occupations, working as truck drivers, sales representatives, bookkeepers, and computer specialists.

Agricultural managers manage the day-to-day activities of one or more farms, ranches, nurseries, timber tracts, greenhouses, and other agricultural establishments for farmers or corporations. Their duties and responsibilities vary widely, but are concentrated on the business aspects of running a farm.

Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers make many managerial decisions. Farm output is strongly influenced by the weather, disease, fluctuations in prices of domestic and foreign farm products, and federal farm programs.

Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers also negotiate with banks and other credit lenders to get the best financing deals for their equipment as well as their livestock and seed. Like other businesses, farming operations have become more complex in recent years, so many farmers use computers to keep financial and inventory records. They also use computer databases and spreadsheets to manage breeding, dairy, and other farm operations.

Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers held nearly 1.4 million jobs in 2002. 84 percent were self-employed. Most farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers oversee crop production activities, while others manage livestock and dairy production.

Market pressures and low prices for many agricultural goods will cause more farms to go out of business over the 2002-2012 period. The complexity of modern farming and keen competition among farmers leaves little room for many farmers. Small farms get bought by larger farms, and this trend is expected to continue over the 2002-12 period.

This will result in the continued decline in employment of self-employed farmers. As land, machinery, seed, and chemicals become more expensive, only larger farms and corporations will be able to acquire many of the smaller farms that become available. It is the larger, more productive farms that are better able to withstand the adverse effects of climate and price fluctuations to cover operating costs for livestock, feed, seed, and fuel.

Despite the projected decline in overall employment of farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers, an increasing number of small-scale farmers have developed successful market specialties that involve personalized, direct contact with their customers. One thing about farmers is they never give up! Many are finding opportunities in organic food production, as more consumers demand food grown without pesticides or chemicals. Others use farmers’ markets that cater directly to urban and suburban consumers, allowing the farmers to capture a greater share of consumers’ food dollars.

Aquaculture also should continue to provide some new employment opportunities over the 2002-12 period. Over fishing has resulted in declining ocean catches even as public demand for the consumption of seafood continues to grow. The result is an increase in aquaculture farms that raise selected aquatic species, such as shrimp, salmon, trout and catfish, in pens or ponds. There is also much demand for horticulture products, such as flowers and ornamentals, trees, shrubs, and other non-edibles, and this is expected to produce better employment opportunities for greenhouse and nursery farmers and managers.

Growing up on a family farm and participating in agricultural programs for young people (sponsored by the National FFA Organization, formerly known as the Future Farmers of America, or the 4-H youth educational programs) are important sources of training for those interested in pursuing agriculture as a career. However, modern farming requires increasingly complex scientific, business, and financial decisions. Therefore, even people who were raised on farms must obtain the appropriate education.

Not all agricultural managers grew up on farms or ranches. For these people, a bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in agriculture is important. In addition to formal education, they need several years of work experience in the different aspects of farm and ranch operations in order to qualify for an agricultural manager position.

Students should select the college most appropriate to their specific interests and location. In the United States, all state university systems have one land-grant university with a school of agriculture. Common programs of study include agronomy, dairy science, agricultural economics and business, horticulture, crop and fruit science, and animal science. For students interested in aquaculture, formal programs are available, and include coursework in fisheries biology, fish culture, hatchery management and maintenance, and hydrology. Whatever one’s interest, the college curriculum should include courses in agricultural production, marketing, and economics.

Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers also must have enough technical knowledge of crops, growing conditions, and plant diseases to make wise decisions about the successful operation of their farms. They also need the managerial skills necessary to organize and operate a business.

Incomes of farmers and ranchers vary greatly from year to year because prices of farm products change. A farm that shows a large profit in one year may show a loss in the following year. Farmers, however, often receive government subsidies or other payments that supplement their incomes and reduce some of the risk of farming. Many farmers have income from other business activities or careers, often greater than that of their farm income.

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