Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers

Also called : Aquaculture Director, Farm Manager, Farm Operations Technical Director, Fish Hatchery Manager, Greenhouse Manager, Harvesting Manager, Hatchery Manager, Hatchery Supervisor, Nursery Manager, Ranch Ma

What they do

Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural establishments. May hire, train, and supervise farm workers or contract for services to carry out the day-to-day activities of the managed operation. May engage in or supervise planting, cultivating, harvesting, and financial and marketing activities.

On the job, one would

Collect and record growth, production, and environmental data.

Manage nurseries that grow horticultural plants for sale to trade or retail customers, for display or exhibition, or for research.

Direct and monitor trapping and spawning of fish, egg incubation, and fry rearing, applying knowledge of management and fish culturing techniques.

Direct and monitor the transfer of mature fish to lakes, ponds, streams, or commercial tanks.

Determine how to allocate resources and to respond to unanticipated problems, such as insect infestation, drought, and fire.

KNOWLEDGE

Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

SKILLS

Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.

ABILITIES

Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

PERSONALITY

People interested in this work, will do well at jobs that need;

Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.

Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Leadership
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.

Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.

Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Innovation
Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

Related Occupations

Forest and Conservation Technicians

First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators

First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers

Forest and Conservation Workers

Food Scientists and Technologists

First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers

Conservation Scientists

TECHNOLOGY

Accounting software

Analytical or scientific software

Calendar and scheduling software

Cloud-based data access and sharing software

Data base user interface and query software

Electronic mail software

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Geographic information system

Graphics or photo imaging software

Industrial control software

Internet browser software

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Preparation
Considerable Preparation Needed
Education
Four-year bachelor degree
Experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupation
Jobtraining
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.