What doses a person in Farm Business Management do on a daily bases?

Hi Kyle

I'm currently a farm manager at a small scale diverse vegetable farm. The job completely depends on what kind of farm you would be working at- i.e. vegetables, animals, fruit, grains. It is a stressful job because you're in charge of living things! It's also very fulfilling to see the fruits of your labor. There are many different colleges that offer programs in agriculture. Sterling College, SUNY Cobleskill and the University of Vermont are a few that come to mind. I would definitely suggest working on a farm for a summer or doing an apprenticeship before you decide it's the job for you. It's really fun to work with a team and provide your community with fresh food!!

Hello Kyle,

Farm managers work in crop or livestock production, or in mixed farming. They are responsible for managing staff, planning production targets, and marketing and selling produce. You will need excellent business skills, a good head for figures and the ability to get the most out of your team. You'll usually need a driving licence.
Most farm managers have some farming experience and a qualification in agriculture.

Work activities
Farm managers run their own businesses or are employed by owners or tenants to run a farm efficiently and profitably. They may run a whole farm or just part of it, such as a dairy unit.
As a farm manager, you could work on one of three main types of farm - livestock (animals), arable (crops) or mixed (animals and crops). Your work would depend partly on the type of farm, but could include:

• planning how the farm will run over the coming year


• setting budget and production targets


• buying and selling animals or produce


• keeping financial records and records of livestock and/or crops


• recruiting, training and supervising staff


• working with vets to monitor animals for infection and disease


• working with officials on areas like habitat conservation

Your working hours would vary depending on the time of year. At busy times you are likely to work long hours, with early morning, evening and weekend work.
The job would combine office work with time spent outside around the farm in all weather conditions. If you are involved in practical farm work, this will often be physically demanding.

You will need practical farming experience to work as a farm manager. This would normally be gained from working as a supervisor, dairy/arable unit manager or assistant manager.

Most farm managers also have a qualification in agriculture. Courses and qualifications are available through agricultural colleges and universities. They include foundation degrees, HNDs and degrees in:

• agriculture


• land management


• farm business management


• crop and livestock production

You could find work with farm owners and tenants, commercial organisations, universities and research institutions.
You may need to change jobs to gain wider experience and promotion. With experience, you may be able to move into other areas, such as agricultural advisory work for government bodies, consultancy or teaching.

Once you are working as a farm manager, you could develop your career by studying part-time, for example to top-up up a foundation degree to a degree.
You would need to keep up to date with the latest developments in agriculture and farming issues. You could do this by attending short courses, workshops and seminars organised by agricultural colleges, and professional bodies like the NFU and the Institute of Agricultural Management (IAgrM).

You can also find specialised training courses on the websites of Lantra Awards and City & Guilds Land-based Services.
Lantra Awards (Opens new window)
City & Guilds Land-based Services

Read more in: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/farmmanager.aspx

Good Luck!