What Does it Take to Be a Precision Agriculture Technician?
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.
Life As a Precision Agriculture Technician
- Document and maintain records of precision agriculture information.
- Analyze data from harvester monitors to develop yield maps.
- Use geospatial technology to develop soil sampling grids or identify sampling sites for testing characteristics such as nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium content, pH, or micronutrients.
- Advise farmers on upgrading Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment to take advantage of newly installed advanced satellite technology.
- Provide advice on the development or application of better boom-spray technology to limit the overapplication of chemicals and to reduce the migration of chemicals beyond the fields being treated.
- Collect information about soil or field attributes, yield data, or field boundaries, using field data recorders and basic geographic information systems (GIS).
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Skills Needed to be a Precision Agriculture Technician
When polled, Precision Agriculture Technicians say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Other Precision Agriculture Technician Job Titles
- Agronomy Specialist
- Research Agricultural Engineer
- Precision Agriculture Specialist
- Precision Farming Specialist
- Independent Crop Consultant
Is There Job Demand 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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 9,900 job openings in this field each 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.
Do Precision Agriculture Technicians Make A Lot Of Money?
Precision Agriculture Technicians make between $29,830 and $80,370 a year.
Precision Agriculture Technicians who work in Maryland, Connecticut, or Rhode Island, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Precision Agriculture Technicians 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 do Precision Agriculture Technicians Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Precision Agriculture Technicians:
- 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 do I Become a Precision Agriculture Technician?
Are there Precision Agriculture Technicians education requirements?
What work experience do I need to become a Precision Agriculture Technician?
Where do Precision Agriculture Technicians Work?
Below are examples of industries where Precision Agriculture Technicians work:
Similar Careers
Are you already one of the many Precision Agriculture Technician in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
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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