Occupation · SOC 45-1011
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, forestry, aquacultural, and related workers.
Median wage
$59,330
$39,610–$90,840
Projected growth
+2.5%
Slower than average
Annual openings
160
per year
Employed (US)
29,530
Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
686 mapped
Core skills
CoordinationCritical ThinkingSpeakingMonitoringReading ComprehensionManagement of Personnel ResourcesTime ManagementActive Listening
Knowledge areas
Administration and ManagementProduction and ProcessingCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageMechanical
Technology & tools
Project management softwareAccounting softwareData base user interface and query softwareCalendar and scheduling softwareEnterprise resource planning ERP software
Representative tasks
Assign tasks such as feeding and treatment of animals, and cleaning and maintenance of animal quarters.Record the numbers and types of fish or shellfish reared, harvested, released, sold, and shipped.Monitor workers to ensure that safety regulations are followed, warning or disciplining those who violate safety regulations.Observe animals for signs of illness, injury, or unusual behavior, notifying veterinarians or managers as warranted.Observe fish and beds or ponds to detect diseases, monitor fish growth, determine quality of fish, or determine completeness of harvesting.Train workers in tree felling or bucking, operation of tractors or loading machines, yarding or loading techniques, or safety regulations.Treat animal illnesses or injuries, following experience or instructions of veterinarians.Train workers in spawning, rearing, cultivating, and harvesting methods, and in the use of equipment.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.Communicate with forestry personnel regarding forest harvesting or forest management plans, procedures, or schedules.Inspect crops, fields, or plant stock to determine conditions and need for cultivating, spraying, weeding, or harvesting.Coordinate dismantling, moving, and setting up equipment at new work sites.Coordinate the selection and movement of logs from storage areas, according to transportation schedules or production requirements.Schedule work crews, equipment, or transportation for several different work locations.Drive or operate farm machinery, such as trucks, tractors, or self-propelled harvesters, to transport workers or supplies or to cultivate or harvest fields.Perform both supervisory and management functions, such as accounting, marketing, and personnel work.Transport or arrange for transport of animals, equipment, food, animal feed, and other supplies to and from work sites.Inspect buildings, fences, fields or ranges, supplies, and equipment to determine work to be performed.Read inventory records, customer orders, or shipping schedules to determine required activities.Inspect facilities to determine maintenance needs.Confer with managers to determine production requirements, conditions of equipment and supplies, and work schedules.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.Issue equipment, such as farm implements, machinery, ladders, or containers to workers, and collect equipment when work is complete.Calculate or monitor budgets for maintenance or development of collections, grounds, or infrastructure.Direct or assist with the adjustment or repair of equipment or machinery.Monitor operations to identify and solve problems, improve work methods, and ensure compliance with safety, company, and government regulations.Plan work schedules according to personnel and equipment availability.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Daily crew assignments — hand out under a senior supervisor's direction on a row-crop or orchard farm.Time and attendance tracking — record accurately for piece-rate or hourly crews.Safety briefings (PPE, heat illness, equipment) — deliver consistently at start-of-shift.Tools, parts, and consumables — issue and account for at a farm or forestry yard.Worker check-ins on quality and pace — conduct during routine field rounds.Incident-report intake — collect from crew members and route to the manager.First-aid and emergency procedures — execute per company protocol on a remote work site.Communication with non-English-speaking crew members — conduct with respect and the company's interpreter resources.Routine equipment walk-arounds — perform with operators before daily use.Daily production logs and field maps — maintain to the operation's standards.
developing
Crew of 8–20 workers — supervise across a single block, parcel, or harvest line.Piece-rate, hourly, and overtime tracking — calculate and explain to crew members.Equipment scheduling and routine PM — coordinate with mechanics on tractors, sprayers, or harvesters.Pesticide-application timing windows — execute per the licensed applicator's plan.H-2A or seasonal-labor compliance basics — apply with HR partners on housing, transport, and pay.Quality-control sampling and packout standards — enforce at packing sheds or on the line.Crew conflict and grievance issues — resolve at the field level with documented follow-up.Recordkeeping (spray logs, harvest yields, mortality) — maintain accurately and completely.Equipment failures and downtime — troubleshoot with operators and dispatch a mechanic when needed.Junior leads and crew chiefs — train on safety, leadership, and recordkeeping.
proficient
Multi-crew operations across an entire farm, ranch, or logging unit — lead through planting, growing, and harvest.Labor planning across a season — hire, schedule, and retain across H-2A, domestic, and contract sources.Equipment fleets and capital budgets — manage at the operating-unit level.Compliance with OSHA, EPA, USDA, and state-ag rules — own with documented programs and audits.Crew safety culture and near-miss programs — establish with measurable reduction in injuries.Production and yield targets — plan and adjust against weather, pests, and market conditions.Direct conversations with owners, agronomists, and processors — lead with operational data.Cost controls (labor, inputs, repairs) — manage against budget at the field-operation level.Junior supervisors and crew bosses — develop on leadership and operational ownership.Continuous-improvement projects (mechanization, harvest aids) — pilot and scale across the operation.
advanced
Farm-, ranch-, or forestry-operation general management — set direction across multiple sites, crops, or stands.Capital plans and major-equipment purchases — author and defend with the owner or board.Multi-state labor and contractor strategy — own with HR, legal, and agency partners.Industry forums (commodity boards, Farm Bureau, processor councils) — represent the operation.Land-use, water-rights, and conservation planning — lead with NRCS, irrigation districts, and counsel.Workforce-development pipelines — build with community colleges and apprenticeship programs.Major contracts (packers, processors, logging buyers) — negotiate at executive level.Succession and family-business planning — facilitate with owners and advisors.Disaster response (fire, flood, drought) — command across crews, equipment, and agencies.Legacy mentorship of the next generation of supervisors — institutionalize across an operation.
Also known as
171 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Supervisor, Laboratory Animal FacilitySupervisor, Rose-GradingHorse Farm ManagerSupervisor, Fish HatcherySupervisor, Diversified CropsAnimal Caretaker SupervisorFish Culture SupervisorCrew SupervisorHarvest SupervisorLivestock Yard SupervisorLaboratory Animal Facility Supervisor (Lab Animal Facility Supervisor)Felling-Bucking SupervisorCranberry Bog SupervisorHatchery SupervisorPark Worker SupervisorSupervisor, Dairy FarmWildlife Technician SupervisorIrrigation ForemanSupervisor, Insect and Disease InspectionGrove SuperintendentVegetable Farming SupervisorManager, Animal ShelterSupervisor, Game FarmForest Nursery SupervisorCamp BossIrrigator, HeadAnimal Shelter ManagerFarm BossAnimal Care Specialist (Army 68T)Field Crop Farming SupervisorSupervisor, Shed WorkersCorral BossAgronomy Location ManagerMigrant LeaderSupervisor, Horticultural-Specialty FarmingRose Grading SupervisorSupervisor, Research KennelAgriculture ManagerSupervisor, Picking CrewShelter Supervisor