Hello and Welcome to Farm & Ranch Jobs!

More than 730,000 men and women are currently employed as farm and ranch workers in the United States. According to the US census, there are today more than two million farms in America. Farm and ranch workers help raising ever increasing amounts of crops and livestock for national as well as international markets each year. An averagely sized farm in the United States will today comprise more than 430 acres and it is therefore common to hire extra personal to help out, either regularly or seasonally.

Farm and ranch workers are sought after in all parts of the country and this page will provide you with a comprehensive collection of available positions from all over the nation. We continuously update our listings to make sure that you get nothing but current and accurate information. You can either contact a farm directly or seek employment via an agricultural worker supply service.

Farm and ranch jobs availability will naturally vary depending on the seasons and type of agricultural business. Some farms deal solely with mass production of crops, while others a devoted to cattle raising. Traditional farms that combine several types of work are also still common in the United States. You can for instance work with plowing, planting and fertilization of grains or cultivate spray plants. Fruit picking and sorting and packaging farm products are also very popular jobs, especially among young people since they usually does not require a license to operate machinery such as tractors. If you are found of animals, you can find a farm job where you feed, water and care for livestock. Carrying out maintenance work and making sure that stables and barns are clean are also a common job. You might also get to provide animals with basic medical care, tend to births and tag or brand cattle.

A formal education beyond high school is rarely required for farm and ranch jobs, since most employers will provide informal training that targets the specific needs of that particular farm or ranch. More important that formal education is good physical condition, willingness to learn and a keen interest in farm life. You will usually work together with more experienced farm workers and thereby learn how to handle livestock, tend to plants, use equipment and so on. Previous experience from farm or ranch work is of course appreciated and a driver's license is necessary if your work involves driving a truck. If you are still in high-school and want to prepare yourself for farm work you can join clubs like 4-H or Future Farmers of America. Learning a second language, e.g. Spanish, can also be a good idea.

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If you want to work on a large farm, previous experience with farm machinery will be highly appreciated. Larger farms often need workers that can operate hay balers, tractors, milking machines and such. A person that also knows how to carry out simple maintenance work and fix common problems is of course even more valuable for the farmer. In many states, farm workers using pesticide must be certified and attend a special training course before they can commence their work. Those under the age of 18 are usually not allowed to be certified.

In the United States, the median wage for farm and ranch workers was $1,310 per month ($7.55 per hour) in 2005, and 50 percent of the farm workers have a monthly wage between $1,210 and $1,470. Many farm workers are provided with housing, utilities, meals and farm products by their employers. Depending on in which state you work, which type of work that you carry out and the particular farm or ranch that has hired you, your wage can be higher as well as lower than average. If you work during the busy summer, you will also often get a chance to earn more money by working overtime. You will usually get a somewhat higher wage if you work with animals and machinery instead of crops. Farm workers in the southern and mountain states will typically have a lower wage compared to the rest of the country.

Seasonal farm workers will usually work from spring to fall, and only 50 percent of the farm workers work year round. On organic farms, a larger amount of regular workers are needed since such farms grow cover crops during the off-season. If you work on a small farm, or travel from farm to farm, you should make sure that you purchase your own insurance. On a larger farm or ranch, full time workers will usually be eligible for benefits, including health insurance and sick leave.