What Do Precision Agriculture Technician Do?
Career 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.
Daily Life Of a Precision Agriculture Technician
- Analyze geospatial data to determine agricultural implications of factors such as soil quality, terrain, field productivity, fertilizers, or weather conditions.
- Divide agricultural fields into georeferenced zones, based on soil characteristics and production potentials.
- Advise farmers on upgrading Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment to take advantage of newly installed advanced satellite technology.
- Analyze remote sensing imagery to identify relationships between soil quality, crop canopy densities, light reflectance, and weather history.
- Program farm equipment, such as variable-rate planting equipment or pesticide sprayers, based on input from crop scouting and analysis of field condition variability.
- Identify spatial coordinates, using remote sensing and Global Positioning System (GPS) data.
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What Every Precision Agriculture Technician Should Know
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
- Nutrient Management Specialist
- Soil Fertility Specialist
- Crop Specialist
- Precision Farming Specialist
- Precision Agronomist
Precision Agriculture Technician Employment Estimates
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?
The typical yearly salary for Precision Agriculture Technicians is somewhere 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
Individuals working as a Precision Agriculture Technician have obtained the following education levels:
How many years of work experience do I need?
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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