On an ownership or rental basis, operate farms, ranches, greenhouses, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural production establishments which produce crops, horticultural specialties, livestock, poultry, finfish, shellfish, or animal specialties. May plant, cultivate, harvest, perform post-harvest activities, and market crops and livestock; may hire, train, and supervise farm workers or supervise a farm labor contractor; may prepare cost, production, and other records. May maintain and operate machinery and perform physical work.

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

1. Perform crop production duties such as planning, tilling, planting, fertilizing, cultivating, spraying, and harvesting.

2. Plan crop activities based on factors such as crop maturity and weather conditions.

3. Monitor crops as they grow in order to ensure that they are growing properly and are free from diseases and contaminants.

4. Maintain facilities such as fencing, water supplies, and outdoor housing and wind shelters.

5. Determine types and quantities of crops or livestock to be raised, according to factors such as market conditions, federal program availability, and soil conditions.

6. Select and purchase supplies and equipment such as seed, fertilizers, and farm machinery.

7. Maintain financial, tax, production, and employee records.

8. Lubricate, adjust, and make minor repairs to farm equipment, using oilcans, grease guns, and hand tools.

9. Set up and operate farm machinery to cultivate, harvest, and haul crops.

10. Evaluate product marketing alternatives, then promote and market farm products, acting as the sales agent for livestock and crops.

11. Obtain financing from lenders to purchase machinery, fertilizer, livestock, and feed.

Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

Management of Financial Resources - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

Management of Material Resources - Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.

Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

Training: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.

The college search results are undergraduate programs associated with Farmers and Ranchers. Further education may also be required to pursue this career.

The training search results include both short and long-term programs associated with Farmers and Ranchers, and may be more appropriate for adult and non-traditional students. Further training may also be required to pursue this career.

In US the average wage for this occupation was:

$12 for entry level workers, and $22 for experienced workers.

Based on the total number of annual openings and its growth rate, the employment prospects for this occupation are described as Least Favorable.

During 2006, there were approximately 1,058,444 Farmers and Ranchers employed in US.

We estimate that in 2016 there will be 968,838  employed in US. This represents a decrease of 0 job(s) each year, and a total of 0 job openings each year.

Great Plant Escape - Getting kids to think about plants and plant life is an important part of The Great Plant Escape. This site will have the students helping Detective LePlant and his partners Bud and Sprout unlock the amazing mysteries of plant life.

Farmers, ranchers, and agricultural managers - Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.

Crop and Livestock Managers - Direct and coordinate, through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities of workers engaged in agricultural crop production for corporations, cooperatives, or other owners.

Aquacultural Managers - Direct and coordinate, through subordinate supervisory personnel, activities of workers engaged in fish hatchery production for corporations, cooperatives, or other owners.

Farm and Home Management Advisors - Advise, instruct, and assist individuals and families engaged in agriculture, agricultural-related processes, or home economics activities. Demonstrate procedures and apply research findings to solve problems; instruct and train in product development, sales, and the utilization of machinery and equipment to promote general welfare. Includes county agricultural agents, feed and farm management advisers, home economists, and extension service advisors.

First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Aquacultural Workers - Directly supervise and coordinate activities of aquacultural workers.

First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Agricultural Crop and Horticultural Workers - Directly supervise and coordinate activities of agricultural crop or horticultural workers.

First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Animal Husbandry and Animal Care Workers - Directly supervise and coordinate activities of animal husbandry or animal care workers.

Agricultural Inspectors - Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.

Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop - Manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts and field crops. Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; cleaning, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.

Fishers and Related Fishing Workers - Use nets, fishing rods, traps, or other equipment to catch and gather fish or other aquatic animals from rivers, lakes, or oceans, for human consumption or other uses. May haul game onto ship.