What Are the Duties of a Farmer?
The large majority of food that is consumed within the United States is not grown by individuals. Rather, it is grown by those who specialize in the business of agriculture (that is, farmers). These individuals work millions of acres of land every year and tend to thousands of animals on a daily basis. In order to do this, farmers must meet specific expectations and responsibilities, regardless of the size of their farm or where they have learned the agricultural trade.
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Crop Management
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Crop management is one of the largest duties a farmer has. The farmer is required to plan out what crop should be grown in a particular season, as well as how much of the crop to grow. He must know how much the seed will cost in advance. He also must decide when and where to fertilize, and in the fall is responsible for harvesting whatever crop he grew over the spring and summer months. Often the tasks of crop management require the farmer to work from sunrise to sunset, especially during harvest.
Livestock Management
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Some farmers do not grow crops but instead raise animals. If this is the case, then the farmer is responsible for everything related to the animal's care. This includes making sure that the animals have proper shelter, food, and shots, and that they have clean bedding or walking areas so that disease and bacteria do not spread. In many cases, caring for the animals also requires the farmer to have knowledge of and arrange for livestock breeding and birth.
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Equipment
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Regardless of whether a farmer is involved in crops or livestock or both, she is required to make sure all of her equipment is in working order. This equipment can include tractors, hay bailers, milking machinery, and fertilizer tanks.
Supervision
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On very large farms, farmers delegate work to employees. If a farmer is on such a large estate, then the farmer is required to inform every employee of what tasks need to be done and when. He must check the work of the employees, conduct employee reviews as necessary, and find replacements for employees who quit, fall ill, or fail to do an adequate job.
Sales/Inventory
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Farms, like large corporations, are businesses that are designed to make revenue. This means that the farmer must be responsible for arranging sales with farmer's markets or processing companies. She thus must be able to develop, use, and maintain records related to the expenses and revenue of the farm. To do this, she also must be able to keep track of all her inventory, so she must periodically do assessments of the equipment that is available to her.
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