Farm Labor Contractors

Recruit and hire seasonal or temporary agricultural laborers. May transport, house, and provide meals for workers.

Median wage

$48,690

$29,800–$86,860

Projected growth

—

Annual openings

—

per year

Employed (US)

410

Job Zone 2

Typical preparation

Some preparation

Stackable credential programs

0 mapped

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Core skills

SpeakingActive ListeningManagement of Personnel ResourcesTime ManagementCritical ThinkingSocial PerceptivenessJudgment and Decision MakingCoordination

Knowledge areas

Foreign LanguageFood ProductionMathematicsPersonnel and Human ResourcesProduction and Processing

Technology & tools

Accounting softwareData base user interface and query softwareWeb page creation and editing softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite software

Representative tasks

Pay wages of contracted farm laborers.Provide food, drinking water, and field sanitation facilities to contracted workers.Recruit and hire agricultural workers.

Competency framework

Skill expectations by proficiency level.

emerging

Worker wage records — review and verify under supervisor guidance in a farm labor contracting office.Field sanitation supplies and drinking water — assist in distributing to contracted workers at an agricultural job site.Agricultural worker recruitment postings — draft and submit using word processing software under direct instruction.Basic task assignments — relay to field workers following foreman directions on a crop production site.Work rule violations — recognize and report to a supervising foreman during daily farm operations.Hand tools and field equipment — issue to contracted employees from a supply area under direct oversight.Spreadsheet templates — enter labor hours and worker counts into pre-built formats in a contracting office.Oral instructions in a second language — listen and respond at a basic level when communicating with Spanish-speaking farm laborers.Worker attendance logs — maintain accurately using paper or electronic records during a harvest season.Safety and sanitation regulations — identify relevant requirements by reviewing posted guidelines at an agricultural worksite.

developing

Contracted worker payroll — calculate and process wage payments using accounting software with reduced supervisor oversight in a farm labor office.Field water stations and portable sanitation units — coordinate setup and restocking across multiple agricultural worksites during a season.Agricultural worker candidates — recruit, screen, and hire using database and internet browser software to meet seasonal staffing quotas.Foremen assignments — coordinate across work crews to ensure direct supervision of workers during planting or harvest operations.Crew performance — monitor against production targets and address routine issues during daily field supervision.Tool inventory — track issuance and returns using spreadsheet software to maintain accountability across a contracted workforce.Worker scheduling — manage shift rotations and time allocations using office suite software to meet grower deadlines.Bilingual crew communication — conduct routine briefings in a foreign language to convey task expectations at a field site.Employment law requirements — apply standard recordkeeping and wage compliance procedures as required under state agricultural labor regulations.Contractor-client correspondence — draft and send professional communications using email and document management software on behalf of a contracting firm.

proficient

Multi-site payroll operations — oversee accurate and timely wage disbursement for contracted farm laborers across several grower accounts using ERP software.Worker housing, water, and sanitation compliance — conduct site inspections and resolve deficiencies autonomously to meet federal and state agricultural standards.Full-cycle recruitment campaigns — design and execute hiring strategies using web page and database tools to build a qualified seasonal workforce under tight timelines.Foreman workforce — select, deploy, and evaluate foremen independently to maintain consistent supervision quality across large or dispersed farm crews.Contracted crew productivity — diagnose performance problems and implement corrective measures using critical thinking and direct field observation.Equipment and tool procurement — assess needs, source supplies, and manage distribution to ensure contracted employees are properly outfitted for varied crop tasks.Labor cost forecasting — build and analyze budget projections using spreadsheet and ERP software to support grower contract negotiations.Cross-cultural workforce communication — conduct nuanced instruction and conflict resolution in a foreign language across diverse agricultural labor teams.Legal and regulatory risk — evaluate contractor obligations under H-2A visa programs, FLSA, and OSHA agricultural rules and implement compliant policies.Contractor-grower relationships — manage ongoing client accounts by coordinating labor supply, resolving service issues, and adapting crews to changing field conditions.

advanced

Organizational payroll and compliance strategy — establish firm-wide wage payment systems and audit controls using integrated ERP and accounting platforms to eliminate legal exposure.Worker welfare standards — set and enforce company-wide policies for sanitation, hydration, and field conditions that exceed minimum regulatory requirements across all contracted sites.Strategic recruitment infrastructure — build referral networks, partnerships with labor-sending communities, and digital recruitment pipelines to sustain multi-season workforce supply.Foreman leadership development — design training programs and performance evaluation systems that cultivate supervisory talent within the contracting organization.Organizational labor productivity — establish performance benchmarks and incentive structures that drive efficiency improvements across the full contracted workforce.Capital equipment planning — direct multi-season tool and equipment investment decisions to optimize operational readiness and reduce per-worker costs at scale.Enterprise financial management — lead budgeting, pricing strategy, and profitability analysis for a farm labor contracting business serving multiple agricultural sectors.Industry labor relations — represent the contracting organization in negotiations with grower associations, labor advocates, and regulatory agencies on workforce policy matters.Regulatory affairs leadership — guide organizational response to new agricultural labor legislation by developing internal compliance frameworks and training across all staff levels.Organizational culture and integrity — model and institutionalize ethical standards, dependability, and stress-resilient leadership practices that define the contracting firm's reputation in the agricultural community.

Also known as

11 alternate job titles map to this occupation.

Farm Labor ContractorFarm Crew MemberHarvest ContractorField Crop Harvest ContractorField ContractorFarm Sanitation EmployeeFarm Crew LeaderField ManagerField SupervisorFarm ContractorHarvesting Contractor

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