Farmworkers and Laborers
On the Job
Farmworkers and Laborers plant, cultivate, and harvest farm products by hand. They use hand tools such as shovels, trowels, and hoes. They may till soil or apply fertilizer; weed or prune crops; water plants or crops; or do other manual duties on farms, greenhouses, or nurseries.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Apply chemical solutions to plants to protect against disease or insects or to enhance growth.
- Build agricultural structures.
- Capture or kill animals.
- Cut trees or logs.
- Package agricultural products for shipment or further processing.
- Clean equipment or facilities.
- Harvest agricultural products.
- Plant crops, trees, or other plants.
- Prepare land for agricultural use.
- Transport animals, crops, or equipment.
Typical Working Conditions
- Working outdoors exposed to weather.
- Using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- Exposure to contaminants (like gases or odors).
- Having face-to-face discussions.
- A work pace that is determined by the speed of equipment.
- Responsibility for others' health and safety.
- Working with a group or team.
- Wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets.
- A high degree of automation.
- Serious consequences if mistakes are made.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.
