Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers

What the job really is

Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural establishments. May hire, train, and supervise farm workers or contract for services to carry out the day-to-day activities of the managed operation. May engage in or supervise planting, cultivating, harvesting, and financial and marketing activities.

At a glance

• Sector: Management
• O*NET-SOC code: 11-9013
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Collect and record growth, production, and environmental data.
• Manage nurseries that grow horticultural plants for sale to trade or retail customers, for display or exhibition, or for research.
• Direct and monitor trapping and spawning of fish, egg incubation, and fry rearing, applying knowledge of management and fish culturing techniques.
• Direct and monitor the transfer of mature fish to lakes, ponds, streams, or commercial tanks.
• Determine how to allocate resources and to respond to unanticipated problems, such as insect infestation, drought, and fire.
• Determine plant growing conditions, such as greenhouses, hydroponics, or natural settings, and set planting and care schedules.
• Devise and participate in activities to improve fish hatching and growth rates, and to prevent disease in hatcheries.
• Position and regulate plant irrigation systems, and program environmental and irrigation control computers.
• Prepare reports required by state and federal laws.
• Inspect facilities and equipment for signs of disrepair, and perform necessary maintenance work.
• Maintain financial, operational, production, or employment records for farms or ranches.
• Coordinate clerical, record-keeping, inventory, requisitioning, and marketing activities.

Tools and technology

Adobe Photoshop, Atlassian Confluence, Facebook, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Visio, Microsoft Word, SAP software, AGCO Advanced Technology Solutions Fieldstar

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Agricultural Technicians
• Agricultural Engineers
• Soil and Plant Scientists
• First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
• Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
• Biofuels Production Managers
• Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products
• Food Scientists and Technologists

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.