Managers in agriculture
Career Overview
Managers in agriculture plan, organize, direct control and evaluate the operations and functions of farms.
Managers in agriculture are responsible for:
- Growing crops
- Raising and breeding livestock, poultry and other animals
- Marketing farm products
Job Titles
Duties
Farmers and farm managers perform some or all the following duties:
- Manage the overall operation of a farm, ranch or orchard
- Decide the amount and kinds of crops to be grown and livestock to be raised
- Plant, cultivate and harvest crops
- Raise and breed livestock and poultry
- Hire and supervise farm workers
- Create a marketing program
- Purchase farm machinery, livestock, seed, feed and other supplies
- Maintain farm machinery, equipment and buildings
- Develop and keep financial and production records
Special duties
Farmers and farm managers may manage farms specialized in particular crops such as wheat, apples or potatoes or raise particular livestock such as beef cattle, hogs or chickens.
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
12,675% Employed Full Time
55%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place both indoors and outdoors, so workers may be exposed to various weather conditions
- Workers use machinery, tools and heavy farm equipment, such as tractors, which can pose the risk of injury
- Strong odours are common on a farm
- Farmers may be exposed to chemicals, dust and sand in the workplace
- Workers may also be exposed to infectious bacteria and viruses as a result of treating sick animals
Career Pathways
Career path information is currently not available.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
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For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Extensive farming experience, obtained as a farm supervisor or specialized crop or livestock worker or by working on a farm, is usually required
- A university degree or college diploma in agricultural management or other field related to crop or livestock production may be required
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Agriculture Related
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
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.
Being able to solve novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
12,675Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 815 | 6.4% |
| Kootenay | 975 | 7.7% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 4,330 | 34.2% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 390 | 3.1% |
| Northeast | 735 | 5.8% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 3,505 | 27.7% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 1,920 | 15.1% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
3,010Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 200 | 0.3% |
| Kootenay | 140 | -0.5% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,000 | 0.4% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 90 | 0.1% |
| Northeast | 110 | 0.2% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 980 | 0.1% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 490 | 0.3% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Agriculture and Fishing | 2,630 |
| Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services | 60 |
| Manufacturing | 60 |
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 50 |
| Retail Trade | 40 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
Career Videos
Watch the video below to learn what a typical day is like for a vineyard manager.
Watch the video below to learn what a typical day is like for a vineyard manager.
