Agricultural Worker Supervisors

At a Glance

Hire, train, and supervise other employees
Work outdoors
Work long hours during planting and harvest
Usually work only part of the year
Often speak Spanish
Have years of work experience

Career summary

Agricultural worker supervisors hire and supervise workers who tend and harvest crops, animals, ornamental plants, and trees.

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Agricultural worker supervisors work for different employers and with a variety of products but share many of the same tasks. They discuss labor needs and contract details with farm, nursery, or other managers. They check work sites to determine what needs to be done. Supervisors make sure special equipment needs are met and solve safety concerns. They may provide transportation for work crews or arrange for housing.

Supervisors hire workers and explain the requirements of the job to them. They:

Discuss wages, hours, and safety rules
Train new workers
Assign tasks
Oversee worker performance
Fire workers

Agricultural worker supervisors record the number of hours each worker works. Supervisors pay workers and order supplies. They make sure the work is done carefully. They make sure that crops or animals are not damaged and that workers are safe. Supervisors sometimes work alongside workers, but their primary task is to supervise. They report work progress, labor costs, supplies used, and harvest or production totals to managers.

Some agricultural worker supervisors contract with farmers to weed or harvest crops. They supply their own work crews instead of hiring workers on site. These supervisors and their workers travel from farm to farm as planting and harvest needs change.

Related careers

This career is part of the Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to agricultural worker supervisors.

Confer with farm manager and inspect crops to determine work to be done.
Determine number and kind of workers needed. Create work schedules.
Recruit, hire, pay, and discharge workers.
Arrange for transportation and living quarters for workers.
Train workers in planting, harvesting, and safety procedures.
Assign workers to tasks such as planting, harvesting, and feeding.
Inspect equipment and work site and monitor work to ensure safety of workers.
Keep records of employees' hours, supplies used, and work completed.
Prepare reports on payroll, harvest, and farm conditions for managers.
Order farm supplies, such as seed, machine parts, and tools.
May contract with workers and farmers to provide employment.

Common work activities

Agricultural worker supervisors perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
Get information needed to do the job
Make decisions and solve problems
Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
Operate vehicles or mechanized equipment
Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
Identify objects, actions, and events
Organize, plan, and prioritize work
Handle and move objects
Control machines and processes
Perform activities that use the whole body
Coordinate the work and activities of others
Schedule work and activities
Judge the value of objects, services, or people
Guide, direct, and motivate others
Evaluate information against standards
Document and record information
Process information
Repair and maintain mechanical equipment
Update and use job-related knowledge
Establish and maintain relationships
Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
Monitor and control resources
Develop goals and strategies
Teach others
Develop and build teams
Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
Analyze data or information
Coach others

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, agricultural worker supervisors:

Interpersonal relationships

Have a high level of interaction with other workers.
Speak to others in person, over the phone, and over email on a daily basis. Occasionally write letters or memos.
Work as part of a team.
Are responsible for the quality and amount of work done by other workers.
Are responsible for the health and safety of their workers. They must be sure workers are protected from agricultural chemicals and injury from equipment.
Are sometimes placed in conflict situations in which employees might be rude or angry.

Physical work conditions

Are often exposed to loud sounds and noise levels, such as from farm equipment.
Work outdoors most of the time, but occasionally work indoors in barns or offices.
Are exposed to very hot or very cold temperatures while working outdoors depending on weather and location.
Often wear protective or safety gear.
Usually travel to and around work sites in a car or truck.
Are often exposed to contaminants such as pesticides, fertilizers, or animal waste or blood. Safety procedures reduce the frequency and severity of injury.
Are occasionally exposed to hazards that result in animal bites, cuts, or minor burns. The likelihood of even slight injury is low. Logging supervisors and those supervising livestock workers are more likely to be injured.
Are sometimes exposed to hazardous equipment such as crop harvesting equipment.
Sometimes work in close proximity to others.

Work performance

Must be accurate and be sure that all details of the job are completed. Harvesting too early or making payroll errors can have serious results.
Rarely consult others before making a decision.
Determine their daily tasks and goals without consulting a superior. Most of the time they repeat the same physical and mental activities.
Make decisions on a daily basis that greatly impact workers and the reputation and profit of the company they work for.
Must meet daily, weekly, and monthly deadlines.

Hours/travel

Typically work more than 40 hours a week, especially during the planting or harvest seasons. Many work six or seven days a week during those times.
Usually work a regular schedule that may change during planting or harvest seasons.
May move from location to location as crops ripen.

Physical demands

Agricultural worker supervisors frequently:

Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
Stand for long periods of time.

It is important for agricultural worker supervisors to be able to:

See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
Understand the speech of another person.
See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for agricultural worker supervisors to be able to:

Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
Determine the distance between objects.
Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
Adjust body movements or equipment controls to keep pace with speed changes of moving objects.
Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
Make fast, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists.
Move arms and legs quickly.
While looking forward, see objects or movements that are off to the side.
See objects in very bright or glaring light.
Determine from which direction a sound came.
Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
See objects in very low light.

Skills and abilities

Agricultural worker supervisors need to:

Communicate

Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
Understand spoken information.
Listen to others and ask questions.
Understand written information.
Write clearly so other people can understand.
Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and problem solve

Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
Recognize the nature of a problem.
Develop rules that group items in various ways.
Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
Think of new ideas about a topic.
Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

Check how well one is learning or doing something.
Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
Manage the time of self and others.

Work with people

Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
Teach others how to do something.
Persuade others to approach things differently.
Use several methods to learn or teach new things.

Work with things

Watch gauges, dials, and output to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operate and control equipment.

Perceive and visualize

Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.
Quickly and accurately compare letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns.
Imagine how something will look if it is moved around or its parts are rearranged.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

Other programs of study to consider

Training

To work as an agricultural worker supervisor, you typically need to:

have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
have one to five years experience working as an agricultural worker.

Education after high school

No formal education is required beyond high school. Courses in a language other than English, such as Spanish, are helpful.

Work experience

Most people become supervisors after working for many years as an agricultural worker. Growing up on a farm provides good work experience. It is also helpful if you join clubs such as 4-H or the National FFA Organization while in high school.

On-the-job training

Agricultural worker supervisors usually receive informal training on the job from experienced workers. During training, you learn:

human resources policies such as how to hire, train, or fire workers;
methods used for agricultural production;
how to use and maintain equipment; and
company policies.

Training may last up to a month.

In certain specialized agricultural fields, higher levels of education and training may be required.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements. You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

Agricultural Production
Agronomy
Animal Science
Horticulture
Plant and Soil Science

Many agricultural worker supervisors are self-employed. If you want to run your own business some day, you should consider taking these courses as well:

Accounting
Entrepreneurship
Introduction to Business

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers look for agricultural worker supervisors who have the ability to motivate workers. They also look for supervisors with experience and knowledge of the work. Supervisors are usually hired from the ranks of experienced agricultural workers.

Licensing/certification

Supervisors who apply pesticides must be licensed by the state and pay an annual fee.

For information on pesticide application licensing, contact:

Washington State Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Management Division (external link)
PO Box 42560
Olympia, WA 98504-2560
877.301.4555

#Fine 2/9/11 lh Info in this section still ok, 2/6/12 & 1/31/14, 2/2/16 cj. Updated PO Box in tag insert file 1/30/18 cj.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website (external link) .

Wages

The minimum wage for Washington State as of January 1, 2020 is $13.50 per hour. Some areas of the state may have a higher minimum wage.

First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers (SOC 45-1011)

Location	Pay Period
Location	Pay Period	10%	25%	Median	75%	90%
Washington	Hourly	$12.16	$17.47	$25.55	$32.48	$40.38
	Monthly	$2,107	$3,028	$4,428	$5,629	$6,998
	Yearly	$25,280	$36,330	$53,150	$67,550	$83,990
Bellingham	Hourly	$11.69	$21.21	$32.36	$37.91	$41.36
	Monthly	$2,026	$3,676	$5,608	$6,570	$7,168
	Yearly	$24,313	$44,130	$67,306	$78,852	$86,024
Bremerton-Silverdale	Hourly	$12.23	$13.48	$19.63	$26.89	$30.00
	Monthly	$2,119	$2,336	$3,402	$4,660	$5,199
	Yearly	$25,426	$28,043	$40,823	$55,926	$62,412
Kennewick-Richland	Hourly	$17.42	$21.75	$27.15	$33.71	$39.96
	Monthly	$3,019	$3,769	$4,705	$5,842	$6,925
	Yearly	$36,233	$45,242	$56,478	$70,113	$83,128
Longview	Hourly	$16.91	$19.50	$27.91	$28.93	$31.67
	Monthly	$2,931	$3,379	$4,837	$5,014	$5,488
	Yearly	$35,165	$40,560	$58,055	$60,177	$65,873
Mount Vernon-Anacortes	Hourly	$11.69	$12.45	$18.90	$26.73	$31.86
	Monthly	$2,026	$2,158	$3,275	$4,632	$5,521
	Yearly	$24,306	$25,895	$39,322	$55,591	$66,286
Olympia-Tumwater	Hourly	$11.68	$11.69	$20.47	$23.14	$34.02
	Monthly	$2,024	$2,026	$3,547	$4,010	$5,896
	Yearly	$24,301	$24,312	$42,567	$48,113	$70,757
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue	Hourly	$11.96	$17.76	$27.09	$33.98	$45.05
	Monthly	$2,073	$3,078	$4,695	$5,889	$7,807
	Yearly	$24,876	$36,955	$56,352	$70,689	$93,706
Spokane-Spokane Valley	Hourly	$15.72	$19.52	$22.60	$28.20	$28.93
	Monthly	$2,724	$3,383	$3,917	$4,887	$5,014
	Yearly	$32,700	$40,606	$47,001	$58,661	$60,179
Vancouver	Hourly	$13.68	$20.29	$24.33	$28.66	$32.24
	Monthly	$2,371	$3,516	$4,216	$4,967	$5,587
	Yearly	$28,467	$42,201	$50,589	$59,607	$67,066
Walla Walla	Hourly	$15.86	$16.78	$18.30	$19.84	$28.93
	Monthly	$2,749	$2,908	$3,171	$3,438	$5,014
	Yearly	$32,988	$34,895	$38,074	$41,268	$60,179
Wenatchee	Hourly	$16.88	$22.72	$27.54	$30.10	$34.04
	Monthly	$2,925	$3,937	$4,773	$5,216	$5,899
	Yearly	$35,110	$47,249	$57,284	$62,624	$70,811
Yakima	Hourly	$12.01	$12.50	$17.79	$30.86	$38.99
	Monthly	$2,081	$2,166	$3,083	$5,348	$6,757
	Yearly	$24,980	$26,011	$37,017	$64,193	$81,094
United States	Hourly	$13.67	$17.10	$22.57	$30.04	$37.94
	Monthly	$2,369	$2,963	$3,911	$5,206	$6,575
	Yearly	$28,420	$35,570	$46,960	$62,470	$78,920

Some supervisors are paid by seasonal contracts. For example, supervisors contract with a farmer to harvest a crop. Supervisors supply the crew, pay the crew, and keep the remaining money as their income. Wages vary by area of the country, crop, and employer.

Few jobs on farms and ranches provide benefits such as retirement and health care. In addition, because many agricultural worker supervisors travel the country following the crops, they have several employers during the year. Thus, agricultural worker supervisors must provide their own insurance and other benefits. Self-employed supervisors must also provide their own insurance.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers (SOC 45-1011)

		This occupation	All occupations
Location	Current employment	Growth over 10 years		Annual openings
Washington	4,506	12.8%	16.1%	747
Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties	1,285	10.7%	13.4%	205
Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman Counties	252	8.7%	8.6%	39
Benton and Franklin Counties	582	19.2%	15.0%	106
Clallam, Jefferson, and Kitsap Counties	76	5.3%	11.9%	11
Clark, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum Counties	86	8.1%	15.2%	13
Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston Counties	279	5.0%	14.1%	40
Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties	390	10.0%	14.6%	61
King County	175	8.6%	19.6%	27
Kittitas, Klickitat, Skamania, and Yakima Counties	1,133	16.4%	13.8%	200
Pierce County	73	26.0%	15.2%	14
Snohomish County	93	4.3%	12.4%	13
Spokane County	78	14.1%	13.9%	13
United States	55,700	1.4%	5.2%	8,400

National employment

About 18% of agricultural worker supervisors are self-employed.

Agricultural worker supervisors work in all states. However, most work in California, Florida, Texas, Arizona, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York.

Major employers:

Farms and ranches

National outlook

Demand for agricultural worker supervisors is increasing slowly.

There are opportunities for supervisors in plant nurseries and greenhouses due to demand for landscaping plants.

Other resources

AgCareers.com
Western USA Office
866.519.7445

AgForLife

Washington Business Week
PO Box 1170
Renton, WA 98057
253.237.3545

Washington State Tree Fruit Association
2900 Euclid Avenue
Wenatchee, WA 98801
509.665.9641

References

Career cluster

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources

Career path

Enterprising (Business Communications)

O*Net occupations

O*Net job zones

Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.
Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed. A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.