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Small family farms constitute 91 percent of all farms and own about two-thirds of all farmland, but large family and commercial farms account for over half of the total value of agricultural production.
Self-employed workers—mostly farmers and fishers—account for half of the industry’s workforce. Employment in agriculture, forestry, and fishing is projected to decline, especially among self-employed farmers and ranchers.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing employs many occupational specialties—from bookkeepers, accountants, and auditors to mechanics and repairers. Among the industry’s wage and salary workers, the single most common occupation was that of farmworkers, who made up nearly 43 percent of the overall workforce. The majority of self-employed workers were farmers and ranchers, but many also worked as fishers. Along with farm managers, farmworkers, farmers, and ranchers comprise the overwhelming majority of workers.
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Farmers and ranchers are the self-employed owner-operators of establishments that produce agricultural output. Their work encompasses numerous tasks, both production-related and management-related. Along with planting, cultivating, harvesting their crops and feeding and raising their livestock, farmers and ranchers must perform numerous bookkeeping activities. They keep records of their animals’ health, crop rotation, operating expenses, major purchases, bills paid, and income due, as well as pay bills and file taxes. If the farm or ranch has paid employees, its owner or operator may keep in order all of the paperwork needed to satisfy legal requirements, including payroll records and State and Federal tax records. Computer literacy has become as necessary for farmers as it has for many other occupations. Farmers also hire, train, and manage the schedules and supervise the work of farmworkers or farm labor contractors. They assign, monitor, and assess individuals’ work day in and day out.
Farmers and ranchers must have additional skills to keep a farm or ranch operating. Basic understanding and working knowledge of mechanics, carpentry, plumbing, and electricity are helpful, if not essential, for running an agricultural establishment. Increasingly, farmers are becoming more involved in marketing, too, especially in "direct marketing" where they sell their products directly to the consumer. Farmers who work large farms make decisions as much as a year in advance about which crop to grow. Therefore, a farmer must be aware of commodity prices in national and international markets to use for guidance, while tracking the costs associated with each particular crop. When dealing in hundreds or thousands of acres of one crop, even small errors in judgment are magnified, so the impact can be substantial. Thus, large-scale farmers strive to keep costs to a minimum in every phase of the operation. Furthermore, risk management of portfolios—the practice of juggling stocks, buying and selling futures, and engaging in other paper deals such as bond trading—is now becoming more important for owner-operators of large commercial farms.
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Farm, ranch, and other agricultural managers operate farms, ranches, nurseries, timber tracts, and aquaculture operations on a daily basis for the owners. Agricultural managers perform many of the same tasks as do farmers and ranchers. Large commercial farms may have a manager for different operations within the establishment. On smaller farms, one manager may oversee all operations. Managers are responsible for purchasing machinery, seed, fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, fuel, and labor. They must be aware of any laws that govern the use of such inputs in the farm’s locality. Agricultural managers must be knowledgeable about crop rotation, soil testing, and various types of capital improvements necessary to maximize crop yields.
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Agricultural workers include occupations that perform a whole spectrum of daily chores involved in crop and livestock production. Graders and sorters ensure the quality of the agricultural commodities that reach the market. They grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition. Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse manually plant, maintain, and harvest food crops; apply pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizer to crops; and cultivate plants used to beautify landscapes. They prepare nursery acreage or greenhouse beds for planting; water, weed, and spray trees, shrubs, and plants; cut, roll, and stack sod; stake trees; tie, wrap, and pack flowers, plants, shrubs, and trees to fill orders; and dig up or move field-grown and containerized shrubs and trees. Additional duties include planting seedlings, transplanting saplings, and watering and trimming plants.
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Farmworkers, farm and ranch animals care for farm, ranch, or aquaculture animals that may include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, poultry, finfish, shellfish, and bees. They also tend to animals raised for animal products, such as meat, fur, skins, feathers, eggs, milk, and honey. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, grazing, castrating, branding, debeaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. These farmworkers also may maintain records on animals, examine animals to detect diseases and injuries, and assist in birth deliveries and administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides, as appropriate. Daily duties include cleaning and maintaining animal housing areas. These workers also may repair farm buildings and fences and haul livestock products to market. On dairy farms, they may operate milking machines and other dairy-processing equipment.
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In 2002, agriculture, forestry, and fishing employed a total of about 2.2 million workers including self-employed and unpaid family workers, making it one of the largest industries in the Nation. This industry is unusual in that self-employed and unpaid family workers account for almost 46 percent of its workforce. The vast majority of these workers—about 2 million—were employed in the agricultural products subsector of this industry. Among all workers in agriculture, forestry and fishing industry, more than 1.2 million were wage and salary workers, while slightly more than 1 million were self-employed and unpaid family workers.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing is one of the few remaining areas of the economy in which unpaid family workers remain a significant part of the workforce. Most unpaid family workers assist with the farmwork or fishing, but a small number do bookkeeping, purchase supplies, or arrange the sale of crops, livestock, or the daily catch.
Most individual agricultural-production establishments employ fewer than 5 workers. Workers in agriculture, forestry, and fishing tend to be older than workers in other industries. In 2002, 50 percent of workers were aged 45 or older, compared with about 38 percent of all workers in all industries.
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In 2002, median earnings for workers in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry were $376 a week, with a wide range from less than $226 a week for the lowest 10 percent to more than $822 a week for the highest 10 percent. Lower than average earnings are due in part to the low level of skill required for many of the jobs in the industry and to the seasonal nature of the work.
Farm income can vary substantially depending on a number of factors, including: The type of crop or livestock being raised, price fluctuations for various agricultural products, and weather conditions that affect yield. In some cases, government subsidies may supplement a farmer’s income. For a growing number of farmers and ranchers, particularly those working on farms for residential and lifestyle reasons, crop or livestock production is not their major occupation or source of income.
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Forest and conservation workers perform a variety of tasks to reforest and conserve timber lands and maintain forest facilities, such as roads and campsites. They may plant tree seedlings to reforest timber land areas, remove diseased or undesirable trees, and spray trees with insecticides. They also may clear away brush and debris from trails, roadsides, and camping areas. Other forest and conservation workers work in forest nurseries, sorting out tree seedlings and discarding those that do not meet prescribed standards of root formation, stem development, and foliage condition.
Foresters manage forested lands for economic, recreational, and conservation purposes. They inventory the type, amount, and location of standing timber, determine the timber’s worth, negotiate with purchasers for the timber, and draw up contracts for tree removal and procurement. Foresters determine how to conserve wildlife habitats, creekbeds, water quality, and soil stability, and how best to comply with environmental regulations. They also devise plans for planting and growing trees, monitor the trees’ growth, and determine the best time for harvesting.
Forest and conservation technicians, under the direction of foresters, compile data on the size, content, and condition of forest land tracts. These workers travel through sections of forest to gather basic information, such as species and population of trees, disease and insect damage, tree seedling mortality, and conditions that may cause fire danger. Forest and conservation technicians also train and lead forest and conservation workers in seasonal activities, such as planting tree seedlings, putting out forest fires, and maintaining recreational facilities.
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Fishers and related fishing workers use nets, fishing rods, or other equipment to catch and trap various types of marine life for human consumption, animal feed, bait, and other uses. Fishing boat captains plan and oversee fishing operations—the fish to be sought, the location of the best fishing grounds, the method of capture, the duration of the trip, and the sale of the catch. First mates—captains’ assistants, who must be familiar with navigation requirements and the operation of the vessel and all of its electronic equipment—assume control of the vessel when the captain is off duty. Boatswains, highly experienced deckhands with supervisory responsibilities, direct the deckhands as they carry out the sailing and fishing operations.
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Agriculture, forestry, and fishing attract people who enjoy working with animals, living an independent lifestyle, or working outdoors on the land. For many, the wide-open physical expanse, the variability of day-to-day work, and the rural setting provide benefits that offset the sometimes hard labor, the danger and the risks associated with unseasonable or extreme weather or unfavorable commodity prices.
Although the working conditions vary by occupation and setting, there are some characteristics common to most agriculture, forestry and fishing jobs. Work hours generally vary and the jobs often require longer than an 8-hour day and a 5-day, 40-hour week; work cannot be delayed when crops must be planted and harvested, or when animals must be sheltered and fed. Weekend work is common, and farmers, agricultural managers, crew leaders, farm-equipment operators, and agricultural workers may work a 6- or 7-day week during planting and harvesting seasons. Graders and sorters may work evenings or weekends because of the perishable nature of the products. Almost 1 out of 4 employees in this industry work variable schedules, compared with fewer than 1 in 10 workers in all industries combined. Because much of the work is seasonal in nature, many farmworkers must cope with periods of unemployment or obtain short-term jobs in other industries when the farms have no work. Migrant farmworkers, who move from location to location to harvest crops as they ripen, live an unsettled lifestyle, which can be stressful.
Much of the work on farms and ranches takes place outdoors, in all kinds of weather, and is physical in nature. Harvesting some types of vegetables, for example, requires manual labor and workers do a lot of bending, stooping, and lifting. Living conditions are often modest, although there are regulations to assure minimum standards. The year-round nature of much livestock production work means that ranch workers must be out in the heat of summer, as well as the cold of winter. Those who work directly with animals risk being bitten or kicked.
Farmers, farm managers, and agricultural workers in crop production risk exposure to pesticides and other potentially hazardous chemicals that are sprayed on crops or plants. Those who work on mechanized farms must take precautions when working with tools and heavy equipment in order to avoid injury
Forestry and logging jobs are physically demanding and often dangerous, although machinery has eliminated some of the heavy labor. Most logging occupations involve lifting, climbing, and other strenuous activities. Loggers work under unusually hazardous conditions. Falling trees and branches are a constant menace, as are the dangers associated with log-handling operations and the use of sawing equipment, especially delimbing devices. Special care must be taken during strong winds, which can even halt operations. Slippery or muddy ground and hidden roots or vines not only reduce efficiency but also present a constant danger, especially in the presence of moving vehicles and machinery. Workers may encounter poisonous plants, brambles, insects, snakes, and heat and humidity. If safety precautions are not taken, the high noise level of sawing and skidding operations over long periods may impair hearing. If workers are to avoid injury, their experience, exercise of caution, and use of proper safety measures and equipment—such as hardhats, eye and ear protection, and safety clothing and boots—are extremely important.
Logging sites are often far from population centers and require long commutes. Some lumber companies set up bunkhouses or camps for employees to stay in overnight.
Fishing operations are conducted under various environmental conditions, depending on the region of the country and the kind of species sought. Storms, fog, and wind may hamper the work of fishing vessels. People employed in fishing work under conditions that can quickly turn from pleasant to wet and hazardous, and help is often not readily available. Work must be performed on decks that are wet and slippery as the result of fish processing operations or ice formation in the winter. Workers must be constantly on guard against entanglement in fishing nets and gear, sudden breakage or malfunction of fishing gear, or being swept overboard. Malfunctioning navigation or communication equipment may lead to collisions with underwater hazards or other vessels and even shipwrecks. Also, when injuries occur, medical treatment beyond simple first aid usually is not available until the vessel can reach port.
Most workers employed in fishing return to their homes every evening. However, workers on vessels that range far from port may be at sea for days or even weeks. While newer vessels of this type have improved living quarters and amenities, such as television and shower stalls, crews still experience the aggravations of confined conditions, continuous close personal contact, and the absence of family.
Some component industries making up agriculture, forestry, and fishing have some of the highest incidences of illnesses and injuries of any industry. In 2002, the overall industry had 6.4 injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers, compared with an average of 5.3 throughout private industry. Those working with livestock had significantly higher incidences of work-related illness and injury than those working with crops.
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