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Agricultural consultant : Salary and conditions

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  1. Job description
  2. Salary and conditions
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  • Starting salaries for consultants and advisers range from £18,000 to £25,000.
  • Salaries for experienced consultants vary between £30,000 and £50,000.
  • Salaries tend to differ between consultancy and advisory specialisms. For example, agricultural business consultants tend to earn more than technical crop consultants and agronomists. Advisers and consultants working for charities and in the public sector may earn less than those working in private consultancies.
  • Agricultural consultancy and advisory work is mainly project-based and consultants may be paid an hourly rate or an acreage fee. Hourly rates, typically for short visits, vary between £35 and £150, depending on the type of consultancy provided and the level of experience the consultant has. Acreage fees tend to be used when consultants have a long-term relationship with a farm or business and vary between £4 and £5 per acre.
  • Working hours can be demanding and varied, depending on the season and clients’ needs. Regular hours of nine to five are not common as clients may need to meet in the evenings or at weekends. Unsocial hours are typically worked especially in busy periods.
  • Working time is usually equally split between the office and the outdoors, although this does vary depending on the role. For example, a crop consultant can expect to spend the majority of their time out of the office, while if research or analysis is part of the role time spent in a laboratory can be expected.
  • Opportunities exist for self-employment. Considerable experience and a network of contacts are important and, as a result, self-employment is likely to be considered after a few years' experience. Self-employed consultants and advisers often work from home.
  • Part-time work and career breaks are possible for established advisers.
  • Opportunities are spread evenly throughout the UK and individuals new to the industry should be prepared to be flexible about the location of their job.
  • Agricultural consultancy is currently a male-dominated occupation.
  • As a large proportion of time is spent away from the office visiting clients, it is not uncommon to spend long periods of time travelling alone by car. The need to be away from home overnight depends on the nature of the current job or project.
 
AGCAS
Written by AGCAS editors
Date: 
May 2010
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