Farmers and ranchers own and run family farms. They may also run working farms through land that they lease from a landowner. To ensure the success of their farm, they monitor the price changes of their food products and then use strategies to shelter their farms from unforeseen changes in the market. They may also be involved in marketing their products to consumers.
Depending on the type of farm they operate, farmers and ranchers have different duties. On farms that grow fruit, vegetables and grains, farmers are involved in planting, tilling, fertilizing, harvesting and cultivating. After crops are harvested, they need to be stored, packaged and made available for the market. Farms that raise livestock, produce dairy or poultry require that farmers and ranchers take care of the animals and feed them. Farmers and ranchers also are responsible for operating equipment and farming facilities.
Summary
- Although most farmers and ranchers are trained on the job, it is becoming more important to have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in the field of agriculture.
- Entry level workers can receive on-the-job training by working under the supervision of a more experienced farmer or rancher.
- Since working a farm includes the risk of injury, farmers and ranchers need to know how to properly operate farm equipment and machinery to avoid accidents and safeguard health.
- According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in this field is expected to decline moderately.
Work Environment for Farmers and Ranchers
In the planting and harvesting seasons, farmers typically work from dawn till dusk. During the rest of the year, they focus on planting crops for the upcoming season, marketing crops and repairing machinery and equipment. On livestock farms, ranchers work the whole year and usually do not have many opportunities to be away from the farm unless an assistant or temporary worker is hired.
Working on a farm includes hazards since machinery can cause injury to farm workers. Therefore, it is especially important that farmers and ranchers stay alert while on the job. They also need to know how to properly operate farm machinery and handle chemicals in order to avoid injury, accidents, safeguard health and protect the environment.
Education, Training and Licensing
The majority of farmers are trained on the job as many of them have grown up on farms. Completing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree through a college of agriculture has become more important for those interested in this line of work.
When selecting a degree program, students should choose a college that matches their interests and location. State universities have at least one land grant college or university of agriculture within their campuses. These programs typically provide business courses combined with a concentration in farm management, agriculture, dairy science, agronomy, agricultural business and economics, horticulture, animal science and crop and fruit science. Students who have an interest in studying aquaculture can enroll in programs that offer courses in fish culture, fisheries biology, hydrology and hatchery management and maintenance.
An agricultural college teaches students about crops and conditions that affect their growth as well as plant diseases. They teach dairy farmers and ranchers animal husbandry, veterinary science, environmental factors that influence farm operations and the effects of different pesticides on animals.
Entry level farmers and ranchers usually work under the supervision of a more experienced farmer, learning how to use the skills they gained in school. Those who did not obtain training through a higher education agricultural program may take quite a number of years to learn how seed, weather, fertilizing, breeding and feeding influence crop growth and raising animals, along with many other areas of farming. A few farms offer new farmers and ranchers apprenticeship opportunities to help them learn farming and ranching skills.
Employment Figures, Projections, Outlook and Earnings for Farmers and Ranchers
According to research published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), farmers and ranchers held approximately 520 jobs in May 2009.
The BLS forecasts that employment of farmers who are self-employed is expected to decline moderately by 8% through 2018 due to the fact that some farmers will go out of business as the agriculture sector is able to produce more with fewer workers. With the costs of machinery, land, seed, and chemicals increasing, only well-capitalized farmers and corporations will be able to purchase many of the farms that become available.
BLS records for May 2009 indicate that the average annual wage for farmers and ranchers was $42,710. The middle 50% earned between $26,150 and $46,960. While the lowest 10% had a yearly salary of $18,900 or less, the highest 10% earned upwards of $91,710 annually.