Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
SOC Code: 45-2092 Job Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed
Manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, and field crops. Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.
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Prevailing Wage Levels (National)
DOL/OFLC prevailing wage thresholds for Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse. Hourly rates x 2,080 = annual.
FY2027 Weighted Lottery Impact
| Level | Lottery Entries | Est. Selection Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Level I (Entry) | 1 entry | ~16% |
| Level II (Qualified) | 2 entries | ~31% |
| Level III (Experienced) | 3 entries | ~45% |
| Level IV (Expert) | 4 entries | ~61% |
Prevailing Wages by Metro Area
| Metro Area | Level I | Level II | Level III | Level IV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $40,789 | $46,842 | $52,915 | $58,968 |
| South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $39,083 | $44,678 | $50,294 | $55,890 |
| Northwest Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $37,294 | $43,326 | $49,358 | $55,390 |
| Grand Island, NE | $38,917 | $44,346 | $49,754 | $55,182 |
| Bloomington, IL | $32,552 | $40,019 | $47,466 | $54,933 |
| Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $38,272 | $43,659 | $49,046 | $54,434 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $34,570 | $40,414 | $46,259 | $52,104 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $35,277 | $40,768 | $46,259 | $51,750 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $39,187 | $43,326 | $47,466 | $51,605 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $35,464 | $40,747 | $46,030 | $51,314 |
Key Skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 | |
| Speaking | 3.0 | |
| Active Listening | 2.9 | |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.8 | |
| Monitoring | 2.8 | |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.8 | |
| Repairing | 2.8 | |
| Operation and Control | 2.8 | |
| Critical Thinking | 2.8 | |
| Time Management | 2.8 |
Knowledge Areas
| Knowledge | Importance |
|---|---|
| Biology | 2.8 |
| Food Production | 2.8 |
| Mechanical | 2.7 |
| Administration and Management | 2.7 |
| Chemistry | 2.6 |
| Mathematics | 2.6 |
| English Language | 2.5 |
| Production and Processing | 2.4 |
Education Requirements
| Education Level | % of Workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school | 39.0% |
| High school diploma | 28.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 15.3% |
| Post-secondary certificate | 5.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 5.1% |
| First professional degree (MD, JD) | 3.0% |
| Associate's degree | 2.0% |
| Master's degree | 1.5% |
Typical Tasks
- Harvest plants, and transplant or pot and label them.
- Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, spray and harvest crops.
- Set up and operate irrigation equipment.
- Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment.
- Harvest fruits and vegetables by hand.
- Clean work areas, and maintain grounds and landscaping.
- Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress.
- Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting.
Technology Skills
Green = Hot Technology in demand
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