Farmers and Ranchers

Career Description: 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.

Industry: Management

Other Job Titles for Farmers and Ranchers:

• 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.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Perform crop production duties such as planning, tilling, planting, fertilizing, cultivating, spraying, and harvesting.
• Plan crop activities based on factors such as crop maturity and weather conditions.
• Monitor crops as they grow in order to ensure that they are growing properly and are free from diseases and contaminants.
• Maintain facilities such as fencing, water supplies, and outdoor housing and wind shelters.
• Determine types and quantities of crops or livestock to be raised, according to factors such as market conditions, federal program availability, and soil conditions.
• Select and purchase supplies and equipment such as seed, fertilizers, and farm machinery.
• Maintain financial, tax, production, and employee records.
• Lubricate, adjust, and make minor repairs to farm equipment, using oilcans, grease guns, and hand tools.
• Set up and operate farm machinery to cultivate, harvest, and haul crops.
• Evaluate product marketing alternatives, then promote and market farm products, acting as the sales agent for livestock and crops.
• Obtain financing from lenders to purchase machinery, fertilizer, livestock, and feed.
• Assemble, position, and secure structures such as trellises, beehives, or fences, using hand tools.
• Clean and sanitize milking equipment, storage tanks, collection cups, and cows' udders, or ensure that procedures are followed to maintain sanitary conditions for handling of milk.
• Operate dairy farms that produce bulk milk.
• Milk cows, using milking machinery.
• Manage and oversee the day-to-day running of farms raising poultry or pigs for the production of meat and breeding stock.
• Breed and raise stock such as cattle, poultry, and honeybees, using recognized breeding practices to ensure continued improvement in stock.
• Assist in animal births, and care for newborn livestock.
• Control the spread of disease and parasites in herds, by using vaccination and medication, and by separating sick animals.
• Maintain pastures or grazing lands to ensure that animals have enough feed, employing pasture-conservation measures such as arranging rotational grazing.
• Buy or sell futures contracts, or price products in advance of future sales so that risk is limited and/or profit is increased.
• Select animals for market, and provide transportation of livestock to market.
• Demonstrate and explain farm work techniques and safety regulations to workers.
• Negotiate and arrange with buyers for the sale, storage, and shipment of crops.
• Clean and disinfect buildings and yards, and remove manure.
• Purchase and store livestock feed.
• Remove lower quality or older animals from herds and purchase other livestock to replace culled animals.
• Transport grain to silos for storage, and burn or bale any straw that is left behind.
• Clean, grade, and package crops for marketing.
• Hire, train, and direct workers engaged in planting, cultivating, irrigating, harvesting, and marketing crops, and in raising livestock.
• Harvest crops, and collect specialty products such as royal jelly, wax, pollen, and honey from bee colonies.
• Install and shift irrigation systems to irrigate fields evenly or according to crop need.
• Herd cattle, using horses or all-terrain vehicles.
• Destroy diseased or superfluous crops.

Emerging Tasks

• Advise students on issues such as course selection, progress toward graduation, and career decisions.
• Direct, coordinate, and evaluate the activities of personnel, including support staff, engaged in administering academic institutions, departments and/or alumni organizations.
• Formulate strategic plans for the institution.
• Oversee facilities management for the university, including construction, repair, and maintenance projects.
• Promote the university by participating in community, state, and national events/meetings, and by developing partnerships with industry and secondary education institutions.
• Write grants to procure external funding, and supervise grant-funded projects.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• administer injections
• administer medications or treatments
• analyze operational or management reports or records
• analyze organizational operating practices or procedures
• artificially inseminate livestock
• assign work to staff or employees
• breed animals to propagate stock or to develop new types
• conduct training for personnel
• demonstrate or explain assembly or use of equipment
• develop policies, procedures, methods, or standards
• direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
• direct workers in planting, irrigating, cultivating, harvesting, or marketing
• disburse checks to satisfy accounts payable
• drive automobile, van, or light truck
• drive truck with capacity greater than 3 tons
• establish employee performance standards
• estimate materials or labor requirements
• estimate time needed for project
• evaluate performance of employees or contract personnel
• examine animals to detect illness, disease, or injury
• explain rules, policies or regulations
• explain work orders, specifications, or work techniques to workers
• follow contract, property, or insurance laws
• follow horticulture irrigation techniques
• grade, classify, or sort products according to specifications
• hire, discharge, transfer, or promote workers
• identify crop characteristics
• identify fruit or vegetable or crops ready for harvest
• identify livestock characteristics
• inspect crops or fields
• inspect crops to determine quality
• inspect facilities or equipment for regulatory compliance
• inspect facilities to determine repair or replacement needs
• inspect growing environment
• judge soil conditions
• maintain or repair farm vehicles, machinery, or mechanical implements
• maintain production or work records
• maintain records, reports, or files
• make decisions
• modify work procedures or processes to meet deadlines
• monitor animal care
• monitor forage plant growth
• monitor number or type of fish reared or harvested
• monitor worker performance
• motivate workers to achieve work goals
• negotiate business contracts
• observe fish or beds or ponds
• observe plants, flowers, shrubs or trees to ascertain condition
• operate agricultural equipment or machinery
• operate tractor with accessories or attachments
• order or purchase supplies, materials, or equipment
• orient new employees
• oversee execution of organizational or program policies
• oversee work progress to verify safety or conformance to standards
• package goods for shipment or storage
• perform safety inspections in agricultural, forestry, or fishing setting
• plan development or production of hybrid plant varieties
• plan harvesting
• plan logging operations
• plan or organize work
• plant, cultivate, or harvest crops, including aquaculture
• prepare or maintain employee records
• prepare reports
• preserve, cure, or cold store meat, poultry or fish
• recognize disease or parasites in animals
• recognize plant diseases
• recognize tree or forest plant species
• resolve agricultural production problems
• resolve logging operation problems
• resolve or assist workers to resolve work problems
• schedule activities, classes, or events
• schedule employee work hours
• slaughter animals, fish, or poultry
• study production records
• transport passengers or cargo
• understand second language
• use animal disease control techniques
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use fish culturing techniques
• use hand or power tools
• use herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides or related products
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use plant disease control techniques

Overall Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Job 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.

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.

Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include funeral directors, electricians, forest and conservation technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$16.04
• Average annual wage (2007) - $33,360.00

• Employment (2006): 1,058,444

• Agricultural Inspectors
• Aquacultural Managers
• Crop and Livestock Managers
• Farm and Home Management Advisors
• Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop
• First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Agricultural Crop and Horticultural Workers
• First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Animal Husbandry and Animal Care Workers
• First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Aquacultural Workers
• Fishers and Related Fishing Workers
• Treasurers and Controllers