All About Farmworkers
Farmworker Definition Attend to live farm, ranch, or aquacultural animals that may include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Attend to animals produced for animal products, such as meat, fur, skins, feathers, eggs, milk, and honey. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, grazing, castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May maintain records on animals; examine animals to detect diseases and injuries; assist in birth deliveries; and administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides as appropriate. May clean and maintain animal housing areas. Includes workers who shear wool from sheep, and collect eggs in hatcheries.
Daily Life Of a Farmworker
- Provide medical treatment, such as administering medications and vaccinations, or arrange for veterinarians to provide more extensive treatment.
- Shift animals between grazing areas to ensure that they have sufficient access to food.
- Maintain growth, feeding, production, and cost records.
- Groom, clip, trim, or castrate animals, dock ears and tails, or shear coats to collect hair.
- Drive trucks, tractors, and other equipment to distribute feed to animals.
- Clean stalls, pens, and equipment, using disinfectant solutions, brushes, shovels, water hoses, or pumps.
Qualities of a Farmworker
Below is a list of the skills most Farmworkers say are important on the job.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
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.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Types of Farmworker
- Livestock Farmer
- Livestock Laborer
- Barn Hand
Job Outlook for Farmworkers
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 268,100 jobs in the United States for Farmworker. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Farmworker. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 38,600 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Farmworker are Georgia, Colorado, and Alaska. Watch out if you plan on working in South Carolina, Mississippi, or New Jersey. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Farmworker Average Salary
The average yearly salary of a Farmworker ranges between $18,410 and $41,840.
Farmworkers who work in Washington, Louisiana, or Iowa, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Farmworkers in different U.S. states.
|State||Annual Mean Salary|
Tools & Technologies Used by Farmworkers
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Farmworkers:
- Web browser software
- Spreadsheet software
- BCL Landview Systems WinCrop
- Farm Works Software Trac
How do I Become a Farmworker?
Learn what Farmworker education requirements there are.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Farmworker?
The table below shows the approximate number of Farmworkers employed by various industries.
Those thinking about becoming a Farmworker might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Farmworker sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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