What Does it Take to Be a Farmworker?
Farmworker Example 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.
Life As a Farmworker
- Feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies.
- Mix feed, additives, and medicines in prescribed portions.
- Perform duties related to livestock reproduction, such as breeding animals within appropriate timeframes, performing artificial inseminations, and helping with animal births.
- Collect, inspect, and place eggs in incubators, operate machines for egg washing, candling, and grading, and pack eggs in cartons.
- Patrol grazing lands on horseback or using all-terrain vehicles.
- Groom, clip, trim, or castrate animals, dock ears and tails, or shear coats to collect hair.
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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.
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.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Types of Farmworker Jobs
- Aquatic Laborer
- Ditch Cleaner
- Barn Hand
- Teamster
- Hired Help
What Kind of Farmworker Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 268,100 jobs for Farmworker in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Farmworker. The BLS estimates 38,600 yearly job openings in this field.

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.
Salary for a Farmworker
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.
How much do Farmworkers make in each U.S. state?
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 & Technology do Farmworkers Use?
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
Becoming a Farmworker
Are there Farmworkers education requirements?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Farmworker?

Farmworkers Sector

The table below shows the approximate number of Farmworkers employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being a Farmworker may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as a Farmworker sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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