Hop farmer

Description

Hop farmers plant, cultivate and harvest hops for the production of commodities such as beer.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to hop farmer:

organic hop farmer
hops grower
hops producer
hops cultivator
hops tender
hop grower
hop producer
hops farmer
hop cultivator
hop tender
organic hops cultivator
organic hops grower

Minimum qualifications

No formal educational credential is generally required to work as a hop farmer.

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.

Hop farmer is a Skill level 2 occupation.

Hop farmer career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to hop farmer.

horticulture worker
agronomic crop production team leader
crop production manager
horticulture production team leader
fruit production team leader

Long term prospects

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

viticulture adviser
agricultural technician
soil surveying technician
biotechnical technician
monk/nun

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of hop farmer.

  • Hop cultivation: The cultivation of hop plants. The diverse types of hops and the means to cultivate and harvest hop crops for beer brewing and other purposes.
  • Plant propagation: Types of different propagation methods, materials and seeds and their criteria for health and quality.
  • Ingredients for beer production: Basic ingredients of beer, which consist of water, a starch source such as malted barley, brewer’s yeast to produce the fermentation and a flavouring such as hops.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of hop farmer.

  • Monitor crops: Monitor the growth of the crops to ensure the crops are free from diseases, harmful chemicals and organisms.
  • 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. Take into account the relevant quality criteria of products, hygiene prescriptions and use the appropriate methods.
  • Cultivate hops: Carry out the cultivation of hops for the production of beer and other purposes.
  • Supervise crop production: Supervise and analyse overall crop production in order to ensure effective production process, taking into account the environmental regulations.
  • Prevent crop disorders: Advise on how to prevent and limit particular crop disorders with the appropriate methods. Select corrective treatments.
  • Supervise hygiene procedures in agricultural settings: Ensure that hygiene procedures in agricultural settings are followed, taking into account the regulations of specific areas of action e.q. livestock, plants, local farm products, etc.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Nurse plants: Determine the need for nursing activities and carry out nursing by cultivating, maintaining, watering and spraying the plants and trees manually or using appropriate equipment, taking into account the plant species and following safety requirements.
  • 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.
  • Use gardening equipment: Use gardening equipment such as clippers, sprayers, mowers, chainsaws, complying to health and safety regulations.
  • Prepare planting area for planting: Prepare planting area and soil for planting by fertilising, mulching and performing weed control. Take the conditions of the area, soil and plant type into account.
  • Assess crop damage: Identify and evaluate damage to crops due to disorders, adverse physical soil conditions, unsuitable pH, nutrient imbalances and deficiencies, the misuse of crop protection materials, or extreme weather factors.
  • Advise on beer production: Advise beer companies, small brewers and managers within the beer industry to improve the quality of the product or of the production process.
  • Create crop protection plans: Monitor crops for issues with crop protection. Design integrated control strategies. Assess the consequences of pesticide application. Keep up with developments in biotechnology to help reduce usage of chemicals. Manage pesticide resistance.
  • Maintain gardening equipment: Perform daily maintenance on tools and equipment and report major faults to a superior.
  • Store crops: Store and preserve crops in accordance with standards and regulations to ensure their quality. Ensure that storage facilities are kept according to hygienic 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.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

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

  • 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 criteria and requirements of seeds, plants and crop.
  • Soil structure: Diversity of soil elements and types of soil in relation to plant growth.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Variety of beers: Variety of beers and their fermentation, ingredients and processes used during their production.
  • Horticulture principles: The standard horticultural practices, including but not limited to planting, pruning, corrective pruning, and fertilisation.
  • Agritourism: Aspects of agritourism involving agriculturally based activities to bring visitors to a farm.
  • 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 hop farmer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

ISCO group and title

6112 – Tree and shrub crop growers


References
  1. Hop farmer – ESCO
Last updated on October 27, 2022

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