Drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops. May perform tasks, such as crop baling or hay bucking. May operate stationary equipment to perform post-harvest tasks, such as husking, shelling, threshing, and ginning.
Experience: Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed. For example, a drywall installer might benefit from experience installing drywall, but an inexperienced person could still learn to be an installer with little difficulty.
Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.
Training: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees.
Duties and working conditions vary widely, from raising plants in greenhouses, to harvesting crops and tending to livestock outdoors, to inspecting agricultural products at border crossings.
Farmworkers learn through short-term on-the-job training; agricultural inspectors and animal breeders require work experience or a college degree.
Most farmworkers receive low pay and perform strenuous work outdoors in all kinds of weather but many enjoy the rural lifestyle.
