Crop production worker

A crop production worker

Description

Crop production workers perform numerous tasks related to growing and harvesting grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other crops. They plant, seed, prune, irrigate, and harvest crops, and pack and load them for shipment.

Crop production workers typically perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Plant, fertilize, cultivate, spray, irrigate and harvest crops
  • Operate and maintain farm machinery and equipment
  • Follow food safety and security and animal bio-security procedures
  • Detect disease and health problems in crops
  • Examine produce for quality and prepare for market

Working conditions

Crop production workers usually work outdoors in all kinds of weather.

Crop production workers’ jobs can be difficult. To harvest fruits and vegetables by hand, workers frequently bend and crouch. They also lift and carry crops and tools that may be heavy.

Injuries and illnesses

Agricultural work can be dangerous. Although crop production workers risk exposure to pesticides sprayed on crops or plants, improper exposure can be controlled if workers follow appropriate safety procedures. Tractors and other farm machinery can cause serious injuries, so workers must be constantly alert.

Work schedules

Many agricultural workers have seasonal work schedules. Seasonal workers typically work longer periods during planting or harvesting times or when animals must be sheltered and fed.

Some agricultural workers, called migrant farmworkers, move from location to location as crops ripen. Their unsettled lifestyles and periods of unemployment between jobs can cause stress.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to crop production worker:

farm worker
farm hand
crop production workers
growing worker
crop worker
crops production worker
crop growing worker

Minimum qualifications

No formal educational credential is required to work as crop production worker. However, college certificates or specialized courses related to farming are available. On the job training is usually provided by the employers.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Crop production worker is a Skill level 1 occupation.

Crop production worker career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to crop production worker.

vineyard worker
fruit and vegetable picker
garden labourer
livestock worker
equine worker

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of crop production worker. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of crop production worker with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

crop production manager
agronomic crop production team leader
hop farmer
horticulture worker
horticulture production manager

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of crop production worker.

  • Operate agricultural machinery: Operate motorised agricultural equipment including tractors, balers, sprayers, ploughs, mowers, combines, earthmoving equipment, trucks, and irrigation equipment.
  • Maintain storage facilities: Maintain or ensure the maintenance of cleaning equipment, heating or air conditioning of storage facilities and the temperature of premises.
  • Harvest crop: Mow, pick or cut agricultural products manually or using appropriate tools and machinery. Taking into account the relevant quality criteria of products, hygiene prescriptions and using the appropriate methods.
  • Prepare planting area: Prepare planting area and soil for planting by for example fertilising, mulching by hand or using mechanical tools or machinery. Prepare seeds and plants for sowing and planting by ensuring the quality of seed and plants. Sow and plant by hand, using mechanical tools or machinery and in accordance with national legislation.
  • Prepare equipment for harvest: Prepare the equipment for harvest. Supervise the smooth running of high pressure cleaning equipment, heating or air conditioning and the temperature of premises. Carry out the smooth running of tractors and other vehicles.
  • Monitor fields: Monitor orchards, fields and production areas to forecast when crops will be fully grown. Estimate how much damage the weather may cause to crops.
  • Execute fertilisation: Carry out fertilisation tasks by hand or using appropriate equipment according to fertilisation instructions taking into account the environmental, health and safety regulations and procedures.
  • Propagate plants: Carry out propagation activities by applying appropriate propagation methods such as grafted cutting propagation or generative propagation considering the plant type. Carry out propagation control considering the required terms and conditions for specific plant type.
  • Prepare planting area for planting: Prepare planting area and soil for planting by for example fertilising, mulching by hand or using mechanical tools or machinery. Prepare seeds and plants for sowing and planting by ensuring the quality of seed and plants. Sow and plant by hand, using mechanical tools or machinery and in accordance with national legislation.
  • Store crops: Store and preserve crops in accordance with standards and regulations to ensure their quality. Ensure that storage facilities are kept according to hyginic standards, regulating temperature, heating and air conditioning of storage facilities.
  • Grow plants: Carry out plant growing activities. Carry out grow control considering the required terms and conditions for specific plant type.
  • Execute disease and pest control activities: Execute disease and pest control activities using conventional or biological methods taking into account the climate, plant or crop type, health and safety and environmental regulations. Store and handle pesticides in accordance with recommendation and legislation.
  • Store products: Keep products in a safe place in order to maintain their quality. Ensure the stock facilities meet hygiene standards, regulating temperature, heating and air conditioning of storage facilities.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of crop production worker. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Technical equipment for crop production: Methods for service, maintaining and adjusting of technical equipment, machines and installations used for crop production
  • Quality criteria for storage facilities: Quality criteria for storage facilities such as safe locking systems, ventilation, regularly inspected fireproofing systems, etc.
  • Organic farming: Principles, techniques and regulations of organic farming. Organic farming or ecological agriculture is an agricultural production method, which places a strong emphasis on environmental protection and ecological balance.
  • Crop production principles: Principles in growing crops, the natural cycle, nursing of nature, growth conditions and principles of organic and sustainable production. Quality criterias and requirements of seeds, plants and crop.
  • Soil structure: Diversity of soil elements and types of soil in relation to plant growth.
  • Plant species: The variety of plants, trees and shrubs and their special characteristics. 
  • Types of storage facilities: Different types of devices and facilities used to hold information and their quality criterias.
  • Watering principles: Methods, principles and systems for supplying water to land or crops by means of pipes, sprinklers, ditches or streams.
  • Pest control in plants: Types and features of pests in plants and crops. Different kinds of pest control methods, activities using conventional or biological methods taking into account the type of plant or crop, environmental and climate conditions and health and safety regulations. Storage and handling of products.
  • Ecology: The study of how organisms interact and their relation to the ambient environment.
  • Agronomy: The study of combining agriculture production and protection and regeneration of natural environment. Includes the principles and methods of critical selection and adequate application methods for sustainability in agriculture.
  • Fertilisation principles: The study of plant, soil structure, climatic and environmental issues in agronomical production.
  • Plant harvest methods: The various methods, timing and equipment involved in harvesting different crops and plants.
  • Plant propagation: Types of different propagation methods, materials and seeds and their criteria for health and quality.
  • Plant disease control: Types and features of diseases in plants and crops. Different kinds control methods, activities using conventional or biological methods taking into account the type of plant or crop, environmental and climate conditions and health and safety regulations. Storage and handling of products.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of crop production worker. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Provide agri-touristic services: Provide services for agri-tourism activities on the farm. This may include providing B &B services, small scale catering, supporting agri-tourism activities and leisure such as riding, locally guide tours, giving information on farm production and history, selling of small-scale local farm products.
  • Present the farm facilities: Perform customer adapted presentations of the farm organization and farm processes taking under consideration the farm sustainability and local environment.
  • Irrigate soil: Irrigate soil using portable pipes or ditches. Maintain ditches, pipes and pumps as required.
  • Perform on-farm product processing: Transform the primary farm product by tools and/or machinery into elaborated food products, respecting the quality objectives, hygiene and security legislation or rules.
  • Maintain technical equipment: Maintain an inventory of cultivation equipment and supplies. Order additional materials as needed.
  • Use agricultural information systems and databases: Use relevant information systems and databases to plan, manage and operate agricultural enterprise and production.

ISCO group and title

9213 – Mixed crop and livestock farm labourers


References
  1. ESCO
  2. General Farm Workers – Labour Market Information – Newfoundland Labrador, Canada
  3. Agricultural Worker Career Profile | Job Description, Salary, and Growth | Truity
  4. Featured image: Photo by Asantha Abeysooriya on Unsplash
Last updated on June 15, 2022

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