Example Career: First-Line Supervisors of Agricultural Crop and Horticultural Workers

Career Description

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of agricultural crop or horticultural workers.

What Job Titles First-Line Supervisors of Agricultural Crop and Horticultural Workers Might Have

• Farm Owner Operator
• Field Operations Farm Manager
• Grower
• Pest Management Supervisor

What First-Line Supervisors of Agricultural Crop and Horticultural Workers Do

• Assign duties, such as cultivation, irrigation, or harvesting of crops or plants, product packaging or grading, or equipment maintenance.
• Train workers in techniques such as planting, harvesting, weeding, or insect identification and in the use of safety measures.
• Confer with managers to evaluate weather or soil conditions, to develop plans or procedures, or to discuss issues such as changes in fertilizers, herbicides, or cultivating techniques.
• Inspect crops, fields, or plant stock to determine conditions and need for cultivating, spraying, weeding, or harvesting.
• Review employees' work to evaluate quality and quantity.
• Observe workers to detect inefficient or unsafe work procedures or to identify problems, initiating corrective action as necessary.
• Drive or operate farm machinery, such as trucks, tractors, or self-propelled harvesters, to transport workers or supplies or to cultivate or harvest fields.
• Estimate labor requirements for jobs and plan work schedules accordingly.
• Plan or supervise infrastructure or collection maintenance functions, such as planting, fertilizing, pest or weed control, or landscaping.
• Read inventory records, customer orders, or shipping schedules to determine required activities.
• Direct or assist with the adjustment or repair of farm equipment or machinery.
• Inspect facilities to determine maintenance needs.
• Prepare and maintain time or payroll reports, as well as details of personnel actions, such as performance evaluations, hires, promotions, or disciplinary actions.
• Requisition or purchase supplies, such as insecticides, machine parts or lubricants, or tools.
• Monitor or oversee construction projects, such as horticultural buildings or irrigation systems.
• Investigate grievances and settle disputes to maintain harmony among workers.
• Issue equipment, such as farm implements, machinery, ladders, or containers to workers, and collect equipment when work is complete.
• Recruit, hire, or discharge workers.
• Calculate or monitor budgets for maintenance or development of collections, grounds, or infrastructure.
• Perform hardscape activities, including installation or repair of irrigation systems, resurfacing or grading of paths, rockwork, or erosion control.
• Perform the same horticultural or agricultural duties as subordinates.
• Prepare reports regarding farm conditions, crop yields, machinery breakdowns, or labor problems.
• Contract with seasonal workers and farmers to provide employment.
• Arrange for transportation, equipment, or living quarters for seasonal workers.

What First-Line Supervisors of Agricultural Crop and Horticultural Workers Should Be Good At

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

What First-Line Supervisors of Agricultural Crop and Horticultural Workers Should Be Interested In

• Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

What First-Line Supervisors of Agricultural Crop and Horticultural Workers Need to Learn

• Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
• Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Foreign Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.