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Farm Labor Contractors

SOC 13-1074.00Job Zone 2 · Some Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers farm labor contracting operations including worker recruitment, payroll, field supervision, regulatory compliance, and contractor-grower relationship management across seasonal agricultural worksites.

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. Worker wage records — review and verify under supervisor guidance in a farm labor contracting office.
  2. Field sanitation supplies and drinking water — assist in distributing to contracted workers at an agricultural job site.
  3. Agricultural worker recruitment postings — draft and submit using word processing software under direct instruction.
  4. Basic task assignments — relay to field workers following foreman directions on a crop production site.
  5. Work rule violations — recognize and report to a supervising foreman during daily farm operations.
  6. Hand tools and field equipment — issue to contracted employees from a supply area under direct oversight.
  7. Spreadsheet templates — enter labor hours and worker counts into pre-built formats in a contracting office.
  8. Oral instructions in a second language — listen and respond at a basic level when communicating with Spanish-speaking farm laborers.
  9. Worker attendance logs — maintain accurately using paper or electronic records during a harvest season.
  10. Safety and sanitation regulations — identify relevant requirements by reviewing posted guidelines at an agricultural worksite.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Contracted worker payroll — calculate and process wage payments using accounting software with reduced supervisor oversight in a farm labor office.
  2. Field water stations and portable sanitation units — coordinate setup and restocking across multiple agricultural worksites during a season.
  3. Agricultural worker candidates — recruit, screen, and hire using database and internet browser software to meet seasonal staffing quotas.
  4. Foremen assignments — coordinate across work crews to ensure direct supervision of workers during planting or harvest operations.
  5. Crew performance — monitor against production targets and address routine issues during daily field supervision.
  6. Tool inventory — track issuance and returns using spreadsheet software to maintain accountability across a contracted workforce.
  7. Worker scheduling — manage shift rotations and time allocations using office suite software to meet grower deadlines.
  8. Bilingual crew communication — conduct routine briefings in a foreign language to convey task expectations at a field site.
  9. Employment law requirements — apply standard recordkeeping and wage compliance procedures as required under state agricultural labor regulations.
  10. Contractor-client correspondence — draft and send professional communications using email and document management software on behalf of a contracting firm.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Multi-site payroll operations — oversee accurate and timely wage disbursement for contracted farm laborers across several grower accounts using ERP software.
  2. Worker housing, water, and sanitation compliance — conduct site inspections and resolve deficiencies autonomously to meet federal and state agricultural standards.
  3. Full-cycle recruitment campaigns — design and execute hiring strategies using web page and database tools to build a qualified seasonal workforce under tight timelines.
  4. Foreman workforce — select, deploy, and evaluate foremen independently to maintain consistent supervision quality across large or dispersed farm crews.
  5. Contracted crew productivity — diagnose performance problems and implement corrective measures using critical thinking and direct field observation.
  6. Equipment and tool procurement — assess needs, source supplies, and manage distribution to ensure contracted employees are properly outfitted for varied crop tasks.
  7. Labor cost forecasting — build and analyze budget projections using spreadsheet and ERP software to support grower contract negotiations.
  8. Cross-cultural workforce communication — conduct nuanced instruction and conflict resolution in a foreign language across diverse agricultural labor teams.
  9. Legal and regulatory risk — evaluate contractor obligations under H-2A visa programs, FLSA, and OSHA agricultural rules and implement compliant policies.
  10. Contractor-grower relationships — manage ongoing client accounts by coordinating labor supply, resolving service issues, and adapting crews to changing field conditions.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Organizational payroll and compliance strategy — establish firm-wide wage payment systems and audit controls using integrated ERP and accounting platforms to eliminate legal exposure.
  2. Worker welfare standards — set and enforce company-wide policies for sanitation, hydration, and field conditions that exceed minimum regulatory requirements across all contracted sites.
  3. Strategic recruitment infrastructure — build referral networks, partnerships with labor-sending communities, and digital recruitment pipelines to sustain multi-season workforce supply.
  4. Foreman leadership development — design training programs and performance evaluation systems that cultivate supervisory talent within the contracting organization.
  5. Organizational labor productivity — establish performance benchmarks and incentive structures that drive efficiency improvements across the full contracted workforce.
  6. Capital equipment planning — direct multi-season tool and equipment investment decisions to optimize operational readiness and reduce per-worker costs at scale.
  7. Enterprise financial management — lead budgeting, pricing strategy, and profitability analysis for a farm labor contracting business serving multiple agricultural sectors.
  8. Industry labor relations — represent the contracting organization in negotiations with grower associations, labor advocates, and regulatory agencies on workforce policy matters.
  9. Regulatory affairs leadership — guide organizational response to new agricultural labor legislation by developing internal compliance frameworks and training across all staff levels.
  10. Organizational culture and integrity — model and institutionalize ethical standards, dependability, and stress-resilient leadership practices that define the contracting firm's reputation in the agricultural community.

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.

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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.
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Show O*NET source anchors42 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Farm Contractor · Farm Crew Leader · Farm Crew Member · Farm Labor Contractor · Farm Sanitation Employee · Field Contractor · Field Crop Harvest Contractor · Field Manager · Field Supervisor · Harvest Contractor · Harvesting Contractor
RAPIDS apprenticeships
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O*NET skills
SpeakingActive ListeningManagement of Personnel ResourcesTime ManagementCritical ThinkingSocial PerceptivenessJudgment and Decision MakingCoordination
Knowledge domains
Foreign LanguageFood ProductionMathematicsPersonnel and Human ResourcesProduction and ProcessingLaw and Government
Abilities
Oral ComprehensionOral ExpressionSpeech ClaritySpeech RecognitionProblem SensitivityNear Vision
Work styles
Leadership OrientationDependabilityStress ToleranceAttention to DetailIntegritySelf-Control
Technology
Accounting softwareData base user interface and query softwareWeb page creation and editing softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwareElectronic mail softwareDocument management softwareWord processing softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP softwareInternet browser software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Pay wages of contracted farm laborers.
  2. Provide food, drinking water, and field sanitation facilities to contracted workers.
  3. Recruit and hire agricultural workers.
  4. Employ foremen to deal directly with workers when recruiting, hiring, instructing, assigning tasks, and enforcing work rules.
  5. Supervise the work of contracted employees.
  6. Furnish tools for employee use.
CIP education codes
09.090650.100150.100250.109952.020201.0105

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.