Occupational Profiles

Agricultural service contractors perform some or all the following duties:

• 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.

Farm supervisors perform some or all of the following duties:

• Co-ordinate, assign and supervise the work of general farm workers 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.

Farm supervisors may specialize in areas such as dairy, poultry, swine, beef, sheep, equine, fruit, vegetable, mixed or other specialty farming.
Specialized livestock workers perform some or all of the following duties:

• Formulate feeding programs
• Implement pasture or pen breeding programs
• Follow safety and bio-security procedures
• Recognize and treat certain livestock health problems
• Maintain livestock performance records
• Select livestock for sale
• Train horses
• Perform general farm duties
• May supervise general farm workers.

Specialized livestock workers usually specialize in one type of farm animal such as beef cattle, dairy cattle, poultry or swine.

• 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 and specialized livestock workers may require a college certificate or other specialized training in agriculture or livestock husbandry.
• A course or certificate in first aid may be required.