About This Career

Directly supervises and coordinates the activities of agricultural, forestry, aquacultural, and related workers.

This career is part of the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources cluster Food Products and Processing Systems pathway.

A person in this career:

• Assigns tasks such as feeding and treatment of animals, and cleaning and maintenance of animal quarters.
• Records the numbers and types of fish or shellfish reared, harvested, released, sold, and shipped.
• Monitors workers to ensure that safety regulations are followed, warning or disciplining those who violate safety regulations.
• Observes animals for signs of illness, injury, or unusual behavior, notifying veterinarians or managers as warranted.
• Observes fish and beds or ponds to detect diseases, monitor fish growth, determine quality of fish, or determine completeness of harvesting.
• Trains workers in tree felling or bucking, operation of tractors or loading machines, yarding or loading techniques, or safety regulations.
• Treats animal illnesses or injuries, following experience or instructions of veterinarians.
• Trains workers in spawning, rearing, cultivating, and harvesting methods, and in the use of equipment.
• Trains workers in techniques such as planting, harvesting, weeding, or insect identification and in the use of safety measures.
• Confers with managers to evaluate weather or soil conditions, to develop plans or procedures, or to discuss issues such as changes in fertilizers, herbicides, or cultivating techniques.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
• Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
• Work in this occupation requires being outside most of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Irregular hours
• Overtime work
• Seasonal work
• Weekend work