Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers

Typical job duties performed with this occupation include:

TASK DUTIES
Change processes such as drying, grading, storing, or shipping to improve efficiency or profitability.
Determine types or quantities of crops or livestock to be raised, according to factors such as market conditions, federal programs or incentives, or soil conditions.
Direct crop production operations, such as planning, tilling, planting, fertilizing, cultivating, spraying, or harvesting.
Direct the breeding or raising of stock, such as cattle, poultry, or honeybees, using recognized breeding practices to ensure stock improvement.
Evaluate marketing or sales alternatives for farm or ranch products.
Hire, train, or supervise workers engaged in planting, cultivating, irrigating, harvesting, or marketing crops, or in raising livestock.
Inspect farm or ranch structures, such as buildings, fences, or roads, ordering repair or maintenance activities, as needed.
Maintain financial, operational, production, or employment records for farms or ranches.
Monitor activities such as irrigation, chemical application, harvesting, milking, breeding, or grading to ensure adherence to safety regulations or standards.
Monitor pasture or grazing land use to ensure that livestock are properly fed or that conservation methods, such as rotational grazing, are used.
Negotiate with buyers for the sale, storage, or shipment of crops or livestock.
Obtain financing necessary for purchases of machinery, land, supplies, or livestock.
Operate or oversee the operations of dairy farms that produce bulk milk.
Plan crop activities based on factors such as crop maturity or weather conditions.
Prepare budgets or financial reports for farm or ranch operations.
Select or purchase machinery, equipment, livestock, or supplies, such as seed, feed, fertilizer, or chemicals.
Supervise the construction of farm or ranch structures, such as buildings, fences, drainage systems, wells, or roads.
Analyze market conditions to determine acreage allocations.
Analyze soil to determine types or quantities of fertilizer required for maximum crop production.
Buy or sell futures contracts or price farm products in advance of future sales to minimize risk or maximize profits.
Demonstrate or explain working techniques, practices, or safety regulations to farm or ranch workers.
Direct livestock or crop waste recycling operations.
Inspect farm or ranch equipment to ensure proper functioning.
Inspect orchards or fields to determine crop maturity or condition or to detect disease or insect infestation.
Monitor and adjust irrigation systems to distribute water according to crop needs and to avoid wasting water.
Plan and direct development or production of hardier or higher-yield hybrid plant varieties.
Replace chemical insecticides with environmentally friendly practices, such as adding pest-repelling plants to fields.
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*Note: Not all occupations will have a full list of Task Duties or associated programs

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Training for this occupational program or those in a similar family of programs can be located at the following postsecondary institutions in the State of Kansas. Please check with a program advisor at the postsecondary institution for more information on the particular focus of each program listed. Programs nearest the local area appear first. Click on the program to find more information.

INSTITUTION NAME	CITY	INSTITUTION TYPE	PROGRAM TITLE	AWARDS	HOURS
Fort Hays State University	Hays	Public	AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS	Bachelor Degree - BS	124
Fort Hays State University	Hays	Public	AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS	Bachelor Degree - BS	124
Barton Community College	Great Bend	Public	AGRICULTURE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT	Associate Degree - AAS	64
Barton Community College	Great Bend	Public	CROP PROTECTION APPLICATION	Associate Degree - AAS	65
Barton Community College	Great Bend	Public	CROP PROTECTION APPLICATION	Less Than One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	25
Barton Community College	Great Bend	Public	BEEF CATTLE PRODUCTION	Less Than One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	23
Barton Community College	Great Bend	Public	BEEF CATTLE PRODUCTION	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	37
Barton Community College	Great Bend	Public	CROP PROTECTION APPLICATION	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	33
Dodge City Community College	Dodge City	Public	AG PRODUCTION/FARM & RANCH MANAGEMENT	Associate Degree - AAS	63
Dodge City Community College	Dodge City	Public	AGRONOMY	Associate Degree - AAS	61
Dodge City Community College	Dodge City	Public	AG PRODUCTION/FARM & RANCH MANAGEMENT	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	31
Pratt Community College	Pratt	Public	FARM AND RANCH MANAGEMENT	Associate Degree - AAS	64
Pratt Community College	Pratt	Public	FARM AND RANCH MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	32
Pratt Community College	Pratt	Public	FARM AND RANCH MANAGEMENT	Associate Degree - AAS	64
Pratt Community College	Pratt	Public	FARM AND RANCH MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATE	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	34
Hutchinson Community College	Hutchinson	Public	FARM AND RANCH MANAGEMENT	Associate Degree - AAS	64
Colby Community College	Colby	Public	FARM & RANCH MANAGEMENT	Associate Degree - AAS	64
Colby Community College	Colby	Public	HORSE PRODUCTION & MANAGEMENT	Associate Degree - AAS	62
Colby Community College	Colby	Public	BEEF MANAGEMENT	Less Than One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	25
Colby Community College	Colby	Public	FEEDLOT CERTIFICATION PROGRAM	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	30
Cloud County Community College	Concordia	Public	AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION AND SERVICES	Associate Degree - AAS	62
Cloud County Community College	Concordia	Public	EQUINE MANAGEMENT	Associate Degree - AAS	63
Cloud County Community College	Concordia	Public	EQUINE MANAGEMENT CERT.	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	34
Cloud County Community College	Concordia	Public	PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	30
Cloud County Community College	Concordia	Public	AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION AND SERVICES	Less Than One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	16
Cloud County Community College	Concordia	Public	PRECISION AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION	Associate Degree - AAS	62
Cloud County Community College	Concordia	Public	PRECISION AGRICULTURE	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	30
Garden City Community College	Garden City	Public	PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE	Associate Degree - AS	64
Garden City Community College	Garden City	Public	PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE	Associate Degree - AAS	64
Garden City Community College	Garden City	Public	AGRIBUSINESS SPECIALIST	Less Than One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	17
Garden City Community College	Garden City	Public	AGRIBUSINESS SPECIALIST - AGRONOMY	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	32
Garden City Community College	Garden City	Public	AGRIBUSINESS SPECIALIST - LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	32
Northwest Kansas Technical College	Goodland	Public	PRECISION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY	Associate Degree - AAS	68
Northwest Kansas Technical College	Goodland	Public	PRECISION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY	Less Than One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	17
Northwest Kansas Technical College	Goodland	Public	PRECISION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	35
Kansas State University	Manhattan	Public	AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS	Bachelor Degree - BS	127
Kansas State University	Manhattan	Public	AGRONOMY	Bachelor Degree - BS	127
Kansas State University	Manhattan	Public	ANIMAL SCIENCES	Bachelor Degree - BS	126
Kansas State University	Manhattan	Public	HORTICULTURE	Bachelor Degree - BS	126
Kansas State University	Manhattan	Public	BEEF CATTLE FEEDLOT MANAGEMENT	Postsecondary award/certificate/diploma(< 1 academic year) - CERT	12
Kansas State University	Manhattan	Public	BEEF CATTLE RANCH MANAGEMENT	Postsecondary award/certificate/diploma(< 1 academic year) - CERT	19
Kansas State University	Manhattan	Public	EQUINE SCIENCE	Postsecondary award/certificate/diploma(< 1 academic year) - CERT	20
Kansas State University	Manhattan	Public	MEAT SCIENCE	Postsecondary award/certificate/diploma(< 1 academic year) - CERT	20
Butler Community College	El Dorado	Public	FARM & RANCH MANAGEMENT	Associate Degree - AAS	62
Butler Community College	El Dorado	Public	LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT & MERCHANDISING	Associate Degree - AAS	62
Butler Community College	El Dorado	Public	LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT & MERCHANDISING	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	31
Seward County Community College	Liberal	Public	AGRICULTURE	Associate Degree - AAS	64
Seward County Community College	Liberal	Public	AGRICULTURE	Less Than One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	27
Allen Community College	Iola	Public	FARM & RANCH MANAGEMENT PRODUCTION	Associate Degree - AAS	60
Allen Community College	Iola	Public	LIVESTOCK MARKETING AND MANAGEMENT	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	33
Highland Community College	Highland	Public	FARM AND RANCH MANAGEMENT GENERAL	Associate Degree - AAS	63
Highland Community College	Highland	Public	PRECISION AGRICULTURE	Associate Degree - AAS	65
Highland Community College	Highland	Public	AGRIBUSINESS	Associate Degree - AAS	63
Highland Community College	Highland	Public	PRECISION AGRICULTURE	Less Than One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	19
Highland Community College	Highland	Public	PRECISION AGRICULTURE	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	34
Johnson County Community College	Overland Park	Public	HORTICULTURE SCIENCES	Associate Degree - AAS	63
Johnson County Community College	Overland Park	Public	SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE	Less Than One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	27
Johnson County Community College	Overland Park	Public	HORTICULTURE SCIENCES	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	31
Fort Scott Community College	Fort Scott	Public	FARM AND RANCH MANAGEMENT	Associate Degree - AAS	62
Fort Scott Community College	Fort Scott	Public	FARM AND RANCH MANAGEMENT	One-year Technical Certificate - CERT	38

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