What is a Precision Agriculture Technician?
Job Description: Apply geospatial technologies, including geographic information systems (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), to agricultural production or management activities, such as pest scouting, site-specific pesticide application, yield mapping, or variable-rate irrigation. May use computers to develop or analyze maps or remote sensing images to compare physical topography with data on soils, fertilizer, pests, or weather.
What Do Precision Agriculture Technicians Do On a Daily Basis?
- Prepare reports in graphical or tabular form, summarizing field productivity or profitability.
- Participate in efforts to advance precision agriculture technology, such as developing advanced weed identification or automated spot spraying systems.
- Divide agricultural fields into georeferenced zones, based on soil characteristics and production potentials.
- Recommend best crop varieties or seeding rates for specific field areas, based on analysis of geospatial data.
- Contact equipment manufacturers for technical assistance, as needed.
- Program farm equipment, such as variable-rate planting equipment or pesticide sprayers, based on input from crop scouting and analysis of field condition variability.
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Skills Needed to be a Precision Agriculture Technician
These are the skills Precision Agriculture Technicians say are the most useful in their careers:
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
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.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Types of Precision Agriculture Technician Jobs
- Precision Crop Manager
- Soil Fertility Specialist
- Precision Farming Specialist
- Physical Scientist
- Agronomy Specialist
Are There Job Opportunities for Precision Agriculture Technicians?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 76,100 jobs in the United States for Precision Agriculture Technician. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 7,400 new jobs for Precision Agriculture Technician by 2026. There will be an estimated 9,900 positions for Precision Agriculture Technician per year.
The states with the most job growth for Precision Agriculture Technician are Utah, Texas, and Nevada. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Maine, or Alaska. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Precision Agriculture Technicians Salary
The average yearly salary of a Precision Agriculture Technician ranges between $29,830 and $80,370.
Precision Agriculture Technicians who work in Maryland, Connecticut, or Rhode Island, make the highest salaries.
How much do Precision Agriculture Technicians make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,600 |
| Alaska | $56,470 |
| Arizona | $51,250 |
| Arkansas | $50,740 |
| California | $56,670 |
| Colorado | $51,890 |
| Connecticut | $62,090 |
| District of Columbia | $61,000 |
| Florida | $45,200 |
| Georgia | $52,690 |
| Hawaii | $57,310 |
| Idaho | $42,220 |
| Illinois | $51,130 |
| Indiana | $51,970 |
| Iowa | $46,740 |
| Kansas | $51,960 |
| Kentucky | $52,340 |
| Louisiana | $47,250 |
| Maine | $55,220 |
| Maryland | $69,500 |
| Massachusetts | $63,450 |
| Michigan | $43,640 |
| Minnesota | $50,440 |
| Mississippi | $52,950 |
| Missouri | $49,590 |
| Montana | $43,930 |
| Nebraska | $58,150 |
| Nevada | $47,690 |
| New Hampshire | $57,990 |
| New Jersey | $60,660 |
| New Mexico | $59,850 |
| New York | $53,380 |
| North Carolina | $53,390 |
| North Dakota | $52,050 |
| Ohio | $52,690 |
| Oklahoma | $57,950 |
| Oregon | $51,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,410 |
| Rhode Island | $59,480 |
| South Carolina | $56,910 |
| South Dakota | $45,190 |
| Tennessee | $43,440 |
| Texas | $54,290 |
| Utah | $50,980 |
| Virginia | $52,180 |
| Washington | $55,920 |
| West Virginia | $55,930 |
| Wisconsin | $52,500 |
| Wyoming | $53,940 |
What Tools & Technology do Precision Agriculture Technicians Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Precision Agriculture Technicians may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Web browser software
- Microsoft Access
- ESRI ArcView
- ESRI ArcGIS software
- ESRI ArcPad
- MapShots EASi Suite
- SST Development Group SSToolbox
- John Deere Apex Farm Management
- Ag Leader Technology SMS Advanced
- Trimble AgGPS EZ-Map
How to Become a Precision Agriculture Technician
What education is needed to be a Precision Agriculture Technician?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Precision Agriculture Technicians Sector
Below are examples of industries where Precision Agriculture Technicians work:
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those who work as a Precision Agriculture Technician sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: U.S. Department of Energy from United States via public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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