Agricultural service contractors and farm supervisors

Overview

Agricultural service contractors provide agricultural services such as livestock and poultry breeding, soil preparation, crop planting, crop spraying, cultivating or harvesting. Farm supervisors supervise the work of specialized livestock workers, farm machinery operators, livestock labourers, aquaculture labourers and harvesting labourers. They operate their own business or may be employed by farms and agricultural enterprises.

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  • Agricultural service contractors

  • Provide agricultural livestock services such as artificial insemination, spraying or shearing of livestock or disinfecting pens, barns or poultry houses

  • Provide agricultural crop services such as plowing, irrigating, cultivating, spraying or harvesting

  • Assist in the development and implementation of farm safety and bio-security procedures

  • Hire and train workers

  • Negotiate the terms of services to be provided

  • Maintain financial and operational records

  • May participate in the provision of services or in the operation of machinery and equipment

  • May operate and repair digital technology and communication tools and equipment, such as robotic milking systems and global positioning systems (GPS).

  • Farm supervisors

  • Coordinate, assign and supervise the work of specialized livestock workers, farm machinery operators, livestock labourers and harvesting labourers

  • Supervise and oversee breeding and other livestock-related programs

  • Supervise, monitor and enforce procedures to maintain animal and crop health and welfare

  • Supervise and oversee growing and other crop-related operations

  • Supervise maintenance of infrastructure, equipment, and supplies

  • Develop work schedules and establish procedures

  • Ensure farm safety, food safety and security and bio-security procedures are followed

  • Maintain quality control and production records

  • May perform general farm duties.

  • May operate and repair digital technology and communication tools and equipment, such as robotic milking systems and global positioning systems (GPS).

  • Farm supervisors may specialize in areas such as dairy, poultry, swine, beef, sheep, equine, fruit, vegetable, mixed or other specialty farming.

Job titles

  • agriculture foreman/woman
  • animal farm foreman/woman
  • animal husbandry foreman/woman
  • apple orchard foreman/woman
  • artificial insemination service contractor
  • caponizing service contractor

Employment prospects

Source: BC Labour Market Outlook 2023 edition

Annual salary

Low

$34,934

Median

$41,712

High

$54,226

Job openings

Use this interactive map to explore job openings in different regions across B.C.

British Columbia

34

expected job openings (5-year forecast)

Education and training

Employment requirements

  • Agricultural service contractors usually require a university degree, college diploma or industry courses in agricultural studies and several years of experience related to the service offered.

  • Contractors providing certain services, such as artificial insemination and pesticide application, may require training certificates and provincial licensing.

  • Farm supervisors may require a college certificate or other specialized training in agriculture or livestock husbandry.

Additional information

No additional information

Certification requirements

  • No certification requirements

Post-secondary programs in B.C.

These results aren't quite ready yet.

We're still working on this. Good things take time. Come back soon.

Other careers