Farm manager
Farm managers raise animals, tend crops, plan strategies for maximum yield, organise farm administration, work machinery, organise associated businesses and manage staff. They need to have technical and practical competence, coupled with the ability to make sound business decisions.
Farms are generally arable, dairy or livestock, run by management companies or single-owner farmers. Crops range from cereals, oil seed rape and potatoes to vegetables and salad crops. Livestock are usually pigs, cows or sheep.
Farm managers must appreciate the need to satisfy regulations set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for safe, high-quality produce farmed in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Farm managers are responsible for planning, organising and managing the activities of a farm to meet the objectives of the owner.
Typical work activities include:
Many farmers are now diversifying their activities to supplement their income. Supplementary activities may include:
Previous hands-on farming experience and technical knowledge are as important as academic qualifications, and some employers may appoint candidates on the basis of their experience alone. However, a degree is greatly valued and most farm managers hold at least a degree or HND/Foundation degree in agriculture, or a related subject.
In particular, the following subjects may improve your chances:
Further study to MSc or PhD level is possible if you want to follow the academic route, but this usually leads to research or teaching posts rather than farm management.
Candidates need to show evidence of the following:
A good understanding of modern farming methods, commitment to animal welfare, an interest in (and understanding of) how farming impacts the environment, and awareness of customer demand, food standards and sustainability, are all important.
A significant amount of farming experience or work experience in agricultural practice is normally required before you can be appointed to a trainee management position. Practical experience, especially on-farm, will make you stand out and will demonstrate your passion for the industry. You can gain experience through a sandwich course, vacation work or a gap year placement.
Organisations that offer work experience and/or training schemes for students or new graduates/Diplomates include:
If you would like to broaden your horizons, useful organisations for arranging work experience abroad include AgriVenture and World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) .
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
Lantra: The Sector Skills Council for the Environmental and Land-based Sector runs a variety of regional and national courses. These include short courses at all levels, from training on specific kinds of equipment, such as chainsaws, through to assessing and validating NVQs up to level 5 - a trainee assistant farm manager would be working towards NVQ Level 4 in the first instance.
Some agricultural colleges, e.g., Harper Adams University College and the Royal Agricultural College , offer continuing professional development (CPD) courses to enable professionals to enhance their careers.
The Environmental Stewardship Scheme provides funding training and advice for farmers who are interested in effective environmental management of their land.
The Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) runs a PgDip/MSc in Organic Farming, as well as one-day vocational courses.
For further advice about initial or further training opportunities available, try the Soil Association or The Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA) .
Most beginners in farm management expect to start as an assistant or by managing an enterprise, such as a pig unit, depending on their interests. After that, experience can progress to more responsibility and management.
Most farm now are focused on a single activity so, in order to gain a broad range of experience, a farm manager may move from one farm to another. Different areas of the country specialise in different types of production as the climate and soil determine what thrives best in a particular area.
At the top end of the job, a farm manager could be responsible for overseeing the work of several farms, all specialising in different aspects of farming - a dairy herd, hill farm, some potato production and poultry, for example.
A successful farm manager may progress to work as a consultant or civil servant making policy with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) .
Lantra: The Sector Skills Council for the Environmental and Land-based Sector also seeks practitioners to evaluate and teach on its training courses and lecturing could also be a strong option.
If you are interested in working abroad, opportunities are available if you have a high level of skills, as most positions require a professional qualification and some post-qualification experience. Some UK conglomerates, mainly owned by food producers, have farms in Spain and Africa, so there is a strong possibility of employment secondments overseas. There are also opportunities for farm managers and assistant farm managers with experience and an appropriate higher level qualification in Australia, New Zealand, Africa, Canada and Europe, and also in Russia as opportunities develop.
Work in developing countries overseas can be arranged through Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) .
A range of organisations employ farm managers, including:
Sometimes, one farmer may own several farms and have managers in charge of running individual units or enterprises.
Opportunities for farm managers are changing because of the increasing size of farm company units. There is a demand for qualified agriculturalists, but the work involves an increasing amount of paperwork, and a need for numeracy. IT, communication and management skills.
Higher education institutions advertise employment opportunities for graduates on their careers service websites.
Get tips on job hunting, CVs and covering letters and interviews.
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