Farm and Ranch Manager
Agriculture & Farming
Manage agricultural businesses and agriculturally related operations within diversified corporations.
What Farm and Ranch Managers Do
Manage agricultural businesses and agriculturally related operations within diversified corporations.
Common Tasks
Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
- 1Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- 2Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
- 3Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- 4Supervise laboratory sessions and field work and coordinate laboratory operations.
- 5Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
What You'll Learn
Types of Farm and Ranch Managers
Work Environment
Locations
- • Farms and ranches
- • Greenhouses and nurseries
- • Aquaculture facilities and fish hatcheries
- • Agribusiness offices and corporate field operations
- • Timber tracts and managed land operations
Schedule
Schedules often follow seasonal production cycles with early mornings and longer days during planting, harvest, or emergencies, with moderate time pressure year-round.
Physical Demands
Work is a mix of office planning and on-site oversight, with moderate standing, walking, and handling of materials or equipment. Conditions can include outdoor weather, uneven terrain, and occasional bending or crouching during inspections.
Salary & Job Outlook
National Employment: 846,800 jobs
Top Paying States
Why Demand May Grow
Demand can increase as farms and agribusinesses adopt data-driven production, compliance tracking, and more complex supply chains that require skilled managers. Growth in specialty crops, greenhouse production, and aquaculture can also create new management roles.
Skills You'll Need
Pros & Cons
Pros
- • Strong earning potential for experienced managers
- • Varied work combining business decisions and field operations
- • Opportunities across crops, livestock, greenhouse, and aquaculture
- • High responsibility and autonomy in day-to-day operations
- • Transferable management skills for other industries
Cons
- • Long hours during peak seasons and unexpected problems
- • Income and job stability can be tied to weather and commodity prices
- • High responsibility for safety, compliance, and financial outcomes
- • May require travel between sites and working outdoors
- • Can involve supervising labor shortages and difficult staffing
Common Questions About the Farm and Ranch Manager Trade
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