What Do Crop Farmworkers and Laborers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Crop Farmworkers and Laborers manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts and field crops. Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; cleaning, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities. They also apply pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers to crops.

Other tasks include:

• Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress.
• Identify plants, pests, and weeds to determine the selection and application of pesticides and fertilizers.
• Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting.
• Set up and operate irrigation equipment.
• Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, spray and harvest crops.
• Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment.

We asked Crop Farmworkers and Laborers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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62% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 71% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Crop Farmworkers and Laborers set up and operate irrigation equipment. They operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, spray and harvest crops.

A typical day for a Crop Farmworker and Laborer will also include:

• Participate in the inspection, grading, sorting, storage, and post-harvest treatment of crops.
• Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress.
• Harvest fruits and vegetables by hand.
• Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting.
• Identify plants, pests, and weeds to determine the selection and application of pesticides and fertilizers.

We asked some Crop Farmworkers and Laborers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	32% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	46% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	68% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	2% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	1% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	31% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Crop Farmworkers and Laborers also repair farm buildings, fences, and other structures. They may also repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Crop Farmworkers and Laborers Clear and maintain irrigation ditches. They might also Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress.

In addition, they Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Apply pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers to crops.

To some Crop Farmworkers and Laborers, it is also their responsibility to Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Seasonal (only during certain times of the year)

In a typical work week as a Crop Farmworker and Laborer, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/farming-fishing-and-forestry/agricultural-workers.htm

http://afop.org/

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/

http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/