Agriculture & EnvironmentCompare

Farmer

O*NET: Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers·11-9013.00

The Verdict:Farm operations unfold in unpredictable fields — shifting weather, pest surges, soil quirks demand on-site human judgment and intervention. AI aids crop modeling and machinery guidance, but cannot manage livestock health crises or adapt harvesting in real time. Human coordination of workers and buyers endures, with steady demand for food production securing the role's future.

Resilience Score

/100

Resilient

Score tiers

Highly Resilient81–100

Resilient61–80

Moderate Risk41–60

High Risk21–40

Critical Risk0–20

How is this scored?

Task Resilience

How much of this role's daily work remains beyond AI and robotic automation.

30% of score

Physical Presence

The degree to which this job needs a human present — hands-on, in the field, or in the room.

20% of score

Human Necessity

How important the unique human edge is — for trust, accountability, or judgment.

15% of score

Regulatory Shield

How strong the legal requirement is for a human in this job (by law, licensing, or credentials).

13% of score

Technological Maturity

How far AI remains from performing this role's core functions.

10% of score

Displacement Evidence

The volume of jobs in this field being eliminated by AI or automation right now.

12% of score

Score last updated: February 2026Full methodology

Avg Salary

Median annual wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release.

$88k

Job Growth (10yr)

Projected change in total number of jobs (not salary) from 2024–2034. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.

-1.3%

AI Exposure

Percentage of this role's analyzed tasks that AI can handle autonomously or nearly so. 2 of 30 tasks are classified as AI-exposed.

Low exposure

Task Analysis

This role's core work is hard to automate.
16 of 30 tasks require human judgment, presence, or trust. The 40% that are AI-leverage offer an edge — professionals who learn these tools will outperform those who don't.

2exposed

12AI leverage

16human-essential

View all 30 tasks

AI Can Handle This2 tasks

Tasks AI can do autonomously or nearly so

Prepare reports required by state and federal laws.

Maintain financial, operational, production, or employment records for farms or ranches.

AI Leverage12 tasks

Master these tools — humans who do outperform those who don't

Collect and record growth, production, and environmental data.

Determine how to allocate resources and to respond to unanticipated problems, such as insect infestation, drought, and fire.

Determine plant growing conditions, such as greenhouses, hydroponics, or natural settings, and set planting and care schedules.

Devise and participate in activities to improve fish hatching and growth rates, and to prevent disease in hatcheries.

Coordinate clerical, record-keeping, inventory, requisitioning, and marketing activities.

Analyze soil to determine types or quantities of fertilizer required for maximum crop production.

Provide information to customers on the care of trees, shrubs, flowers, plants, and lawns.

Analyze market conditions to determine acreage allocations.

Determine types or quantities of crops, plants, or livestock to be grown and raised, based on budgets, federal incentives, market conditions, executive directives, projected sales volumes, or soil conditions.

Determine, administer, and execute policies relating to operations administration and standards, facility maintenance, and safety.

Evaluate marketing or sales alternatives for products.

Obtain financing for and purchase necessary machinery, land, supplies, or livestock.

Human Advantage16 tasks

Tasks requiring trust, presence, or novel judgment

Manage nurseries that grow horticultural plants for sale to trade or retail customers, for display or exhibition, or for research.

Direct and monitor trapping and spawning of fish, egg incubation, and fry rearing, applying knowledge of management and fish culturing techniques.

Direct and monitor the transfer of mature fish to lakes, ponds, streams, or commercial tanks.

Position and regulate plant irrigation systems, and program environmental and irrigation control computers.

Inspect facilities and equipment for signs of disrepair, and perform necessary maintenance work.

Direct the breeding or raising of stock, such as cattle, poultry, or honeybees, using recognized breeding practices to ensure stock improvement.

Negotiate with buyers for the sale, storage, or shipment of crops or livestock.

Coordinate the selection and maintenance of brood stock.

Supervise the construction of farm or ranch structures, such as buildings, fences, drainage systems, wells, or roads.

Replace chemical insecticides with environmentally friendly practices, such as adding pest-repelling plants to fields.

Conduct inspections to determine crop maturity or condition or to detect disease or insect infestation.

Conduct or supervise stock examinations to identify diseases or parasites.

Direct crop production operations, such as planning, tilling, planting, fertilizing, cultivating, spraying, and harvesting.

Hire, supervise, and train support workers.

Monitor activities, such as irrigation, chemical application, harvesting, milking, breeding, and grading, to ensure adherence to safety regulations or standards.

Monitor environments to ensure maintenance of optimum animal or plant life.

Resilience Landscape

Farmer lands in Stable & Well-Paid

Higher Resilience Paths in Agriculture & Environment

Agriculture & Environment

Farmer

Task Analysis

Resilience Landscape

Higher Resilience Paths in Agriculture & Environment

Agricultural Inspector

Forester

Animal Caretaker