Agricultural workers play an important role in the development of a nation. Agriculture workers career is one of the good job options to deal with plants, foods, and other agricultural products to market. These workers carry out various duties such as installing irrigation, planting and harvesting crops, inspecting foods for safety, and delivering animals.
Job Description
Usually, agriculture workers are laborers and farm workers. Greenhouse farm workers, crop, laborers, and nursery perform various activities pertaining to growing and harvesting fruits, grains, fiber, nuts, vegetables, shrubs, trees, and other crops. Their work is to plant and seed, irrigate, prune, harvest, and load crops for shipment.
Agricultural workers job is challenging and enjoyable. Individuals who are interested in gardening and other related works may accept agricultural workers career. Farm workers repair farm equipment and fences, fertilize to crops, herbicides, and apply pesticides. The job of greenhouse and nursery workers is to prepare greenhouse or land beds for growing horticulture products such as plants, trees, sod, and flowers. Their responsibilities include watering, planting, weeding, pruning, spraying, and weeding the plants. They may roll, cut, stake trees, stack sod, tie, pack, and wrap plants to deliver orders, and move or dig up field-grown.
Agricultural workers career may include ranch and farm animal farm workers. The job of farm and ranch animal workers is to care for live ranch, farm, or water animals that may comprise sheep, cattle, goats, swine, poultry, horses, bees, shellfish, skins, and fur. Generally, these animals are raised to supply skins, fur, meat, eggs, feathers, honey, and milk. Agricultural workers perform various duties that may include herding, watering, feeding, branding, castrating, grazing, loading animals, catching, weighing, and de-beaking.
Agricultural workers career also incorporates agricultural inspectors. These inspectors are employed by state and federal government to make sure compliance with laws, rules, and regulations governing the safety, quality, and health of agricultural commodities. The job of agricultural inspector is to ensure that the equipment and facilities used to process the commodities meet legal standards and safety. Inspectors examine meat to ensure that it is free from bacteria or harmful ingredients.
The work of animal breeders is to choose and breed animals using genetic knowledge and animal science to generate offspring with desired characteristics and traits such as sheep with more desirable wool, pigs to produce leaner meat, and chickens for more eggs. Many animal breeders breed and raise dogs, cats, and other pets. The expensive animals such as cattle and horses are generally bred through synthetic insemination that need taking of semen from the male and then inseminating the female. This is the process that makes sure better result as comparing to conventional mating.
Work Environment
The work settings for agricultural workers may differ widely. A great amount of work of laborers and farm workers perform on ranches and farms. Sometimes, the farming work is exhausting and has to perform in all type of weather conditions. For instance, harvesting vegetables and fruits many require much stooping, bending, and lifting. At times, workers may have restricted access to hygiene facilities when perform the work in the field. The availability of drinking water may be limited. Nonetheless, some agriculture workers get pleasure from a variety of tasks, raising animals, satisfaction of working the land, and the rural settings.
Farm workers do not delay tasks when crops ought to be harvested or planted or when pets or animals fed and sheltered. Agricultural workers have to spend long hours and weekends to carry out the tasks within the time limit. Agricultural equipment operators and farm workers may work seven days a week during harvesting and planting seasons.
Agricultural workers career may include some jobs that are seasonal in nature. Therefore, some workers accept other jobs during slack seasons. There are many migrant farm workers who move from one location to another as crops ripen. They have to live unsettled lifestyle that may excruciating and stressful. Farm workers who serve in nurseries are busy in summer and spring.
Training and Educational Qualification
The increasing number of agricultural workers obtains skills required to execute tasks on the job within a month. However, some occupations require formal education and extensive work experience. Usually, people without a high school diploma are in the crop production field. Some agricultural workers may require a training that lasts one month to a year. This is on-the-job training where participants are taught how to carry out given tasks.
The training requirement for sorters and graders many differ with their responsibilities. A high school diploma is preferred or might be required for those who execute tests on agricultural products. The training and education requirement for animal breeders may vary depending upon the type of breeding. A bachelor's or graduate degree in animal science is recommended for those who breed expensive animals or livestock. Candidates would like to make their career as agricultural inspectors require relevant work experience or college coursework in agricultural science, biology, or a related subject.
Advancement
A farm worker who has good communication and interpersonal skills and take interest in business may advance to supervisory positions. Farm workers who are able to speak Spanish and English can deal very well with supervisory work. Many agricultural workers seek to become ranch, farm and other agricultural managers. Agricultural workers who have knowledge of harvesting and raising may become buyers and purchasing agents of farm products. Agricultural workers career is a highly remunerate job option.