NSXNational Skills ExchangeSign in
Back to Framework

Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers

SOC 11-9013.00Job Zone 4 · Considerable Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers the full range of competencies for Farmers, Ranchers, and Agricultural Managers across crop production, horticulture, aquaculture, and livestock operations, from entry-level data collection and protocol-following through executive-level strategic leadership and industry influence.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Growth, production, and environmental data — collect and record under supervisor guidance using standardized forms and basic field instruments on a working farm or ranch.
  2. Plant care schedules — follow established protocols for watering, fertilizing, and monitoring crops in greenhouse or nursery settings under direct oversight.
  3. Irrigation systems — position and adjust components according to prescribed layouts under the direction of an experienced agricultural manager.
  4. Fish hatchery procedures — assist in documenting egg incubation conditions and fry rearing activities using facility logbooks under close supervision.
  5. Pest and disease indicators — recognize common signs of insect infestation or plant disease and report findings to a supervising manager in a field or greenhouse environment.
  6. Agricultural ERP software — enter production records and basic operational data under guidance using enterprise resource planning tools in an office or farm setting.
  7. Horticultural growing conditions — identify differences between greenhouse, hydroponic, and natural growing environments while supporting experienced staff in a nursery operation.
  8. Personnel coordination — assist in scheduling and assigning daily field tasks to a small crew under the direction of a senior agricultural manager.
  9. Reading comprehension skills — interpret agronomic reports, regulatory guidelines, and equipment manuals to support routine farm operations with supervisor review.
  10. Environmental control computers — monitor and report readings from automated irrigation and climate systems in a controlled growing facility under direct supervision.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Production and environmental data — collect, organize, and analyze records independently to identify seasonal trends and support operational decisions on a mid-sized farm or ranch.
  2. Nursery operations — manage day-to-day horticultural plant growing activities for trade or retail customers, adjusting care schedules based on observed plant health in a commercial nursery.
  3. Fish transfer operations — coordinate and monitor the movement of mature fish to lakes, ponds, or commercial tanks, applying standard fish culturing techniques with minimal oversight.
  4. Irrigation system programming — configure and adjust environmental and irrigation control computers to maintain optimal soil moisture and climate conditions across multiple growing zones.
  5. Resource allocation decisions — assess available labor, equipment, and budget to respond to routine operational challenges such as equipment failure or seasonal labor shortages on a working farm.
  6. Hatchery improvement activities — implement established protocols to improve fish hatching and growth rates and apply preventive measures against disease in a fish hatchery setting.
  7. Agricultural database software — query and maintain production databases to generate operational reports and support supply chain decisions in a farm management office.
  8. Crew supervision — direct and evaluate the daily performance of field and facility workers, providing feedback and on-the-job coaching in a farm or ranch environment.
  9. Vendor and supplier communication — negotiate input purchases and service agreements with suppliers, applying knowledge of agricultural economics and market pricing.
  10. Map creation and GIS tools — use geographic information system software to map field boundaries, irrigation coverage, and resource distribution across a managed agricultural property.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Complex problem solving — autonomously diagnose and resolve non-routine operational challenges such as drought, fire risk, or disease outbreaks by integrating biological, environmental, and economic knowledge across an entire farm or ranch operation.
  2. Growing condition strategy — determine and implement optimal growing environments, including hydroponic systems or natural field settings, and develop multi-season planting and care schedules for diverse horticultural crops.
  3. Fish culturing program management — direct and continuously improve trapping, spawning, egg incubation, and fry rearing programs by applying advanced knowledge of aquaculture biology and hatchery management techniques.
  4. Full-scope nursery management — oversee all aspects of a commercial nursery operation serving trade and retail customers, including plant production quality, inventory planning, and customer relationship management.
  5. Enterprise resource planning — configure and utilize ERP software to integrate financial, personnel, and production data, enabling data-driven decisions across all operational areas of a large agricultural enterprise.
  6. Personnel resource management — recruit, train, schedule, and evaluate a multi-functional agricultural workforce, aligning staffing plans with seasonal production demands and regulatory requirements.
  7. Financial and accounting oversight — manage farm budgets, analyze cost-of-production data, and apply economic principles to optimize profitability across diverse agricultural enterprises.
  8. Operations monitoring — independently monitor automated environmental and irrigation control systems, interpret sensor data, and make real-time adjustments to maintain optimal crop or livestock conditions.
  9. Regulatory and reporting compliance — prepare accurate written production reports, environmental disclosures, and permit documentation required by state and federal agricultural authorities.
  10. Crisis resource allocation — develop and execute contingency plans for unanticipated events such as insect infestations or severe weather, reallocating labor, equipment, and inputs to minimize production loss.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Strategic farm enterprise direction — set long-term operational and financial goals for a large-scale agricultural organization, aligning production systems with market trends, sustainability objectives, and stakeholder expectations.
  2. Organizational leadership — build and lead a management team across multiple farm or ranch units, developing leadership capability and succession pipelines through mentoring and structured professional development.
  3. Aquaculture program innovation — lead organization-wide research and implementation of advanced fish hatching, disease prevention, and growth optimization strategies that elevate hatchery performance benchmarks across an entire region or enterprise.
  4. Cross-functional resource strategy — design and govern enterprise-wide systems for allocating land, capital, labor, and technology to maximize yield and resilience across diverse agricultural operations.
  5. Industry negotiation and advocacy — represent the agricultural enterprise in high-stakes negotiations with major buyers, government agencies, and industry associations, shaping contractual and policy outcomes.
  6. Technology adoption leadership — evaluate, select, and oversee organization-wide deployment of precision agriculture technologies, GIS platforms, industrial control software, and cloud-based data systems to drive operational excellence.
  7. Workforce culture and development — establish organizational standards for training, safety, and professional growth, creating a high-performance culture across seasonal and full-time agricultural teams.
  8. Integrated risk management — develop enterprise-level risk management frameworks that address climate variability, commodity market exposure, regulatory change, and biosecurity threats across all managed operations.
  9. Knowledge transfer and industry influence — design and deliver training programs, publish operational best practices, and represent the organization at industry forums to advance standards in agricultural management.
  10. Sustainability and land stewardship governance — establish and oversee long-range environmental stewardship policies, integrating conservation practices, water management, and carbon accountability into the enterprise's core operational strategy.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

A 4-level framework describing how a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline. Subscribe for $19.99/mo to read the full framework — or sign in if you have a subscription.

  1. Emerging
  2. Developing
  3. Proficient
  4. Advanced
Monthly subscription · Stripe-hosted · unlocks AI-at-Work and Pathsmith™ Durable Skills across the full library

Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency levels for this occupation. Subscribe to unlock the full Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework across all 1,016 occupations.

Monthly subscription · Stripe-hosted · unlocks AI-at-Work and Pathsmith™ Durable Skills across the full library
Show O*NET source anchors66 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

Suggest an O*NET correction

Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Accredited Farm Manager (AFM) · Activation Manager · Agricultural Crop Farm Manager · Agricultural Manager · Agriculture Farmer · Agriculture Manager · Agronomy Manager · Agronomy Operations Manager · Animal Husbandry Manager · Annual Greenhouse Manager · Aquaculture Cooperative Marketing Director · Aquaculture Director
RAPIDS apprenticeships
—
O*NET skills
Active ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionComplex Problem SolvingManagement of Personnel ResourcesSpeakingJudgment and Decision MakingCoordinationActive LearningMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessTime ManagementWritingPersuasionNegotiationOperations MonitoringSystems AnalysisSystems EvaluationManagement of Financial Resources
Knowledge domains
Administration and ManagementProduction and ProcessingBiologyMathematicsPersonnel and Human ResourcesEnglish LanguageFood ProductionEconomics and AccountingSales and MarketingMechanicalEducation and TrainingCustomer and Personal ServiceChemistry
Abilities
Oral ExpressionProblem SensitivityDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningOral ComprehensionWritten ComprehensionCategory FlexibilitySpeech ClarityWritten ExpressionInformation Ordering
Work styles
Leadership OrientationDependabilityPerseveranceAttention to DetailAchievement OrientationInitiative
Technology
Enterprise resource planning ERP softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareData base user interface and query softwareIndustrial control softwareAccounting softwareProject management softwareCloud-based data access and sharing softwareMap creation softwareTime accounting softwareGeographic information system
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Collect and record growth, production, and environmental data.
  2. Manage nurseries that grow horticultural plants for sale to trade or retail customers, for display or exhibition, or for research.
  3. Direct and monitor trapping and spawning of fish, egg incubation, and fry rearing, applying knowledge of management and fish culturing techniques.
  4. Direct and monitor the transfer of mature fish to lakes, ponds, streams, or commercial tanks.
  5. Determine how to allocate resources and to respond to unanticipated problems, such as insect infestation, drought, and fire.
  6. Determine plant growing conditions, such as greenhouses, hydroponics, or natural settings, and set planting and care schedules.
  7. Devise and participate in activities to improve fish hatching and growth rates, and to prevent disease in hatcheries.
  8. Position and regulate plant irrigation systems, and program environmental and irrigation control computers.
CIP education codes
01.010101.010201.010401.019901.030101.030201.030301.030401.030601.030701.030801.031001.039901.060101.060301.060401.060601.060901.061001.090101.090201.090301.090401.090501.090601.090701.099901.100401.110101.110201.110301.110501.110630.3401

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.