What You Need to Know About Farmworker
Career Description 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.
List of Farmworker Job Duties
- Patrol grazing lands on horseback or using all-terrain vehicles.
- Order food for animals, and arrange for its delivery.
- Collect, inspect, and place eggs in incubators, operate machines for egg washing, candling, and grading, and pack eggs in cartons.
- Feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies.
- Examine animals to detect illness, injury, or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.
- Mix feed, additives, and medicines in prescribed portions.
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Farmworker Skills
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.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Chicken Picker
- Turkey Picker
- Stable Cleaner
- Hired Worker
- Fence Installer
Are There Job Opportunities 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.
What is the Average Salary of a Farmworker
Farmworkers make between $18,410 and $41,840 a year.

Farmworkers who work in Washington, Louisiana, or Iowa, make the highest salaries.
How much do Farmworkers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $27,590 |
Alaska | $34,790 |
Arizona | $31,930 |
Arkansas | $26,950 |
California | $31,500 |
Colorado | $31,550 |
Connecticut | $35,940 |
Delaware | $32,890 |
Florida | $30,340 |
Georgia | $31,500 |
Hawaii | $33,260 |
Idaho | $28,670 |
Illinois | $28,270 |
Indiana | $26,620 |
Iowa | $31,670 |
Kansas | $27,160 |
Kentucky | $27,110 |
Louisiana | $34,790 |
Maine | $29,110 |
Maryland | $29,950 |
Massachusetts | $31,990 |
Michigan | $26,140 |
Minnesota | $28,480 |
Mississippi | $35,870 |
Missouri | $28,630 |
Montana | $25,850 |
Nebraska | $30,540 |
Nevada | $29,950 |
New Hampshire | $32,620 |
New Jersey | $27,210 |
New Mexico | $25,010 |
New York | $33,010 |
North Carolina | $26,010 |
North Dakota | $28,020 |
Ohio | $30,290 |
Oklahoma | $25,080 |
Oregon | $26,180 |
Pennsylvania | $26,560 |
South Carolina | $29,960 |
South Dakota | $31,210 |
Tennessee | $26,660 |
Texas | $27,070 |
Utah | $26,750 |
Vermont | $34,370 |
Virginia | $28,020 |
Washington | $34,270 |
West Virginia | $29,810 |
Wisconsin | $28,650 |
Wyoming | $29,380 |
What Tools do Farmworkers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Farmworkers may use on a daily basis:
- Web browser software
- Spreadsheet software
- BCL Landview Systems WinCrop
- Farm Works Software Trac
How to Become a Farmworker
What kind of Farmworker requirements are there?

How many years of work experience do I need?

Farmworkers Sector

Below are examples of industries where Farmworkers work:

Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Farmworker might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Farmworker in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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