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Text File | 1995-10-24 | 14.7 KB | 283 lines

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Farm Operators and Managers

(D.O.T.  180.117, .161, .167-018, -026 through -046, -058, and -066;
401.161; 402.161; 403.161; 404.161; 405.161; 407.161; 410.161;
411.161; 412.161; 413.161; and 421.161)

Nature of the Work

American farm operators and managers direct the activities of one of
the world's largest and most productive agricultural sectors.  They
produce enough food and fiber to meet the needs of our Nation and to
export huge quantities to countries around the world.

   Farm operators may be farmer-owners or tenant farmers who rent the
use of land.  Their specific tasks are determined by the type of
farm they operate.  On crop farms-farms growing grain, cotton and
other fibers, fruit, and vegetables farm operators are responsible
for planning, tilling, planting, fertilizing, cultivating, spraying,
and harvesting.  After the harvest, they make sure that the crops
are properly stored or packaged, loaded, and promptly marketed.  On
livestock, dairy, and poultry farms, farm operators must plan, feed,
and care for the animals and keep barns, pens, coops, and other farm
buildings clean and in repair.  They also oversee breeding, some
slaughtering, and marketing activities.  On horticultural specialty
farms, farm operators oversee the production of ornamental plants,
nursery products such as flowers, bulbs, shrubbery, and sod and
fruits and vegetables grown in greenhouses.

   Farm operators must make many managerial decisions.  Their farm
output is strongly influenced by the weather, disease, fluctuations
in prices of domestic and foreign farm products, and, in many cases,
Federal farm programs.  Farm operators must determine the best time
to seed, fertilize, cultivate, harvest, and market.  They must
carefully plan the combination of crops they grow so that, if the
price of one crop drops, they will have sufficient income from
another to make up for it.  Also, prices of crops and livestock
change from one month to another, and farm operators who plan ahead
may be able to store their crops or keep their livestock to take
advantage of better prices later in the year.  Farm operators may
have to secure loans from credit agencies to finance the purchase of
machinery, fertilizer, livestock, and feed.  They also keep
extensive financial and inventory records of the farm operation;
increasingly, farm operators are turning to computers to assist in
these tasks.

   Farm operators perform tasks ranging from caring for livestock, to
operating machinery, to erecting fences and sheds.  The size of the
farm often determines which of these tasks operators will handle
themselves.  Operators of large farms have employees who do much of
the physical work that small-farm operators do themselves.
Operators are responsible for training workers in the use of
equipment and supervising them in the performance of their work.
Although employment on most farms is limited to the farm operator
and one or two family workers or hired employees, some large farms
have 100 or more full-time and seasonal workers.  Some of these
workers are in nonfarm occupations, such as truckdriver, sales
representative, bookkeeper, and computer specialist.

   Farm managers have duties and responsibilities that vary widely.
For example, the owner of a very large livestock farm may employ a
farm manager to oversee a single activity such as feeding livestock.
When managing a small crop farm for an absentee owner, on the other
hand, the farm manager may assume responsibility for all functions,
from planning the crop to participating in planting and harvesting
activities.  Farm management firms and corporations involved in
agriculture employ highly trained professional farm managers who may
manage some or all farm operations or oversee tenant operators of
several farms.  In these cases, farm managers may establish output
goals, determine financial constraints, and monitor production and
marketing.

   On some large farms, farm operators and managers direct 100 or more
full-time and seasonal workers.

Working Conditions

The soil, topography of the land, and the climate of an area
generally determine the type of farming that is done.  For example,
wheat, corn, and other grains are most efficiently grown on large
farms on level land where large, complex machinery can best be used.
Thus, these crops are prevalent on the prairies of Iowa and Illinois
or the plains of Nebraska and Kansas.  Crops that require longer
growing seasons, such as cotton, tobacco, and peanuts, are grown
chiefly in the South.  Most of the country's fruits and vegetables
come from California, Texas, and Florida.  Many dairy herds are
found in the areas of good pastureland, such as Wisconsin, New York,
and Minnesota.  Livestock production requires large tracts of land
for grazing and feed grain production and thus is concentrated in
Texas, Nebraska, Iowa, and some Western States.

   Many types of farming are seasonal.  Although many farm operators
and managers on crop farms work from sunup to sundown during the
planting and harvesting seasons, they often work on the farm only 6
to 7 months a year, and many have second jobs off the farm.

   On farms that raise animals for meat or dairy products, work goes on
constantly throughout the year.  Because animals must be fed and
watered every day and cows must be milked twice daily, operators of
these farms must share work with others or they will rarely get the
chance to be away.

   Farm work can be hazardous.  Farmers may be injured by planting and
harvesting machinery or large livestock.  In addition, they are
subject to illnesses and diseases from improper handling and
breathing of dangerous pesticides and chemicals.

   On very large farms, farm operators spend substantial time meeting
with farm managers or farm supervisors in charge of various
activities.  Professional farm managers overseeing several farms may
divide their time between traveling to meet with farm operators and
planning and scheduling farm operations while in their offices.

Employment

Farm operators and managers held about 1,218,000 jobs in 1992.  Most
managed crop production activities while others managed livestock
production.  A relatively small number were involved in agricultural
services such as contract harvesting and farm labor contracting.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

Growing up on a family farm and participating in agricultural
programs for young people sponsored by the National FFA Organization
or the 4-H youth educational programs are important sources of
training for those interested in pursuing agriculture as a career.
However, modern farming requires increasingly complex scientific,
business, and financial decisions.  Thus, even young people who have
lived on farms must acquire a strong educational background.  High
school training should include courses in mathematics and the
sciences.  Completion of a 2-year and preferably a 4-year program in
a college of agriculture is becoming increasingly important.

   Not all people who want to become a farm manager grew up on a farm.
For these people, a bachelor's degree in agriculture is essential.
In order to qualify for a farm manager position, they will need
several years' work experience in many different phases of farm
operation.

   Students should select the college most appropriate to their
specific interests and location.  All States have land-grant
universities that include a college of agriculture; their major
programs of study include areas such as dairy science, agricultural
economics and business, horticulture, crop and fruit science, soil
science, and animal science.  Also, colleges usually offer special
programs of study covering products important to the area in which
they are located, such as animal science programs at colleges in the
Western and Plains States.  Whatever one's interest, the college
curriculum should include courses in farm production and in
business, finance, and economics.

   Professional status can be enhanced through voluntary certification
as an accredited farm manager (AFM) by the American Society of Farm
Managers and Rural Appraisers.  Certification requires several
years' farm experience and the appropriate academic background a
bachelor's degree or preferably a master's degree in a field of
agricultural science and passing courses and examinations relating
to business, financial, and legal aspects of farm management.

   Farm operators and managers need to keep abreast of continuing
advances in farming methods both in the United States and abroad.
They should be willing to try new processes and adapt to constantly
changing technologies to produce their crops or raise their
livestock more efficiently.  Keeping abreast of changing foreign
agricultural policies and international exchange rates is important
to operators of farms producing internationally traded crops and
livestock.  Operators also must have enough technical knowledge of
crops and growing conditions and plant and animal diseases to be
able to make decisions that ensure the successful operation of their
farms.  Knowledge of the relationship between farm operations for
example, the use of pesticides and environmental conditions is
essential.  Mechanical aptitude and the ability to work with tools
of all kinds also are valuable skills for the operator of a small
farm, who often must maintain and repair machinery or farm
structures.

   Farm operators and managers must have the managerial skills
necessary to organize and operate a business.  A basic knowledge of
accounting and bookkeeping can be helpful in keeping financial
records, and a knowledge of credit sources is essential.  They also
must keep abreast of complex safety regulations, requirements of
government agricultural support programs, and paperwork faced by
other small businesses.  Familiarity with computers is important,
especially on large farms, where computers are often used for
recordkeeping and business analysis.  For example, some farmers use
personal computers connected to telephones to get the latest
information on prices of farm products and other agricultural news.

Job Outlook

Employment of farm operators and managers is expected to continue to
decline through the year 2005.  The expanding world population is
increasing the demand for food and fiber.  However, increasing
productivity in the highly efficient U.S.  agricultural sector is
expected to easily meet domestic and export requirements with fewer
but larger farms.  Although requirements for machinery and equipment
will remain stable or increase slightly, land and labor requirements
in the agricultural sector will decrease, but at a slower rate than
in the past.  The overwhelming majority of job openings will result
from the need to replace farmers who retire or leave the occupation
for economic or other reasons.

   The trend toward fewer and larger farms, primarily through mergers,
is expected to continue to reduce the number of jobs for farm
operators.  A farm can be acquired by inheritance; however,
purchasing a farm is expensive and requires substantial capital.  In
addition, sufficient funds are required to withstand the adverse
effects of climate and price fluctuations upon farm output and
income and to cover operating costs livestock, feed, seed, and fuel.
Also, the complexity of modern farming and keen competition among
farmers leave little room for the marginally successful farmer or
the gentleman farmer who considers farming a hobby rather than a
necessity.  Small and medium-size farms, many of which do not
generate sufficient income to support the desired standard of
living, are expected to decrease in number.  However, the small but
increasing number of horticultural farms may provide some employment
opportunities.

   The increase in the average size of farms and in the complexity of
farming are expected to spur demand for highly trained and
experienced farm managers.  Additional demand will come from the
increasing number of absentee owners who, rather than work their
farms, often hire farm managers to run the farm or oversee tenant
farmers.

Earnings

Farmers' incomes vary greatly from year to year, since prices of
farm products fluctuate depending upon weather conditions and other
factors that influence the amount and quality of farm output and the
demand for those products.  A farm that shows a large profit in one
year may show a loss in the following year.  Many farmers primarily
operators of small farms have income from off-farm business
activities often several times larger than their farm income.

   Farm income also varies greatly depending upon the type and size of
farm.  According to the U.S.  Department of Agriculture, average
cash income net of expenses in 1993 was over $100,000 for operators
of vegetable and fruit, cotton, and poultry and egg farms.  On the
other hand, cattle and tobacco farms generated less than $15,000 in
cash income, on the average.  Generally, large farms generate more
income than small farms.  Exceptions include some specialty farms
producing low-volume but high-value horticultural and fruit
products.

   Farm managers who were paid a wage or salary and who worked full
time had median earnings of $382 a week in 1992.  The middle half
earned between $382 and $545 a week.  The highest paid managers
earned over $696 a week in 1992, while the lowest paid made less
than $185 a week.

   Farmers and self-employed farm managers make their own provisions
for benefits.  As members of farm organizations, they may derive
benefits such as group discounts on health and life insurance
premiums.  Salaried farm managers may receive housing and the usual
benefits such as paid vacations and health insurance.

Related Occupations

Farmers and farm managers strive to improve the quality of
agricultural products and the efficiency of farms.  Workers with
similar functions include agricultural engineers, animal breeders,
animal scientists, county agricultural agents, dairy scientists,
extension service specialists, feed and farm management advisors,
horticulturalists, plant breeders, and poultry scientists.

Sources of Additional Information

   For general information about farming and agricultural occupations,
contact:

   American Farm Bureau Federation, 225 Touhy Ave., Park Ridge, IL
60068.

   For information about certification as an accredited farm manager,
contact:

   American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, 950 South
Cherry St., Suite 106, Denver, CO 80222.

   For general information about farm occupations, opportunities, and
4-H activities, contact your local county extension service office.