Explore unit group
- Version:
- NOC 2006 Version 1.0
8431 – General Farm Workers
General farm workers plant, cultivate and harvest crops, raise livestock and poultry and maintain and repair farm equipment and buildings. This group includes operators of farm machinery. General farm workers are employed on crop, livestock, fruit, vegetable and specialty farms.
Profile
Index of titles Example job titles
- Apiary worker
- Artificial breeding worker
- Attendant, livestock yard
- Attendant, stockyard
- Baler - agriculture
- Baling machine operator - farm
- Barn worker
- Beef cattle farm worker
- Binder operator - agriculture
- Cattle ranch labourer
- Cattle ranch worker
- Chick sexer
- Chicken catcher
- Chore hand - agriculture
- Cleaner, poultry yard
- Combine operator
- Cowboy/cowgirl
- Cowhand
- Cowherd
- Cowpuncher
- Crewperson, custom harvest
- Cropsprayer machine operator
- Cultivator operator
- Curer, tobacco
- Custom harvest crewperson
- Dairy farm labourer
- Dairy farm worker
- Dairy hand
- Driver, livestock
- Egg candler
- Egg gatherer
- Egg grader
- Egg grading machine tender
- Egg grading station labourer
- Egg processing machine tender
- Examiner, fruit - agriculture
- Exerciser, racehorse
- Farm equipment operator
- Farm hand
- Farm labourer
- Farm labourer, grain
- Farm machinery operator
- Farm worker
- Farm worker, fruit
- Farm worker, general
- Farm worker, grain
- Farm worker, hogs
- Farm worker, mushrooms
- Farm worker, pheasants
- Farm worker, poultry
- Farm worker, sugar-beets
- Farm worker, tobacco
- Farm worker, vegetables
- Feedlot assistant
- Feedlot worker
- Feedyard assistant
- Feedyard worker
- Field and vegetable crop labourer
- Field crop and vegetable-growing worker
- Fruit examiner - agriculture
- Fruit farm labourer
- Fruit farm worker
- Fruit farming labourer
- Fruit tree pruner
- Fruit tree thinner
- Fur farm worker
- Fur farming worker
- Fur ranch labourer
- General farm worker
- Grafter - orchard
- Grain farm labourer
- Grain farm worker
- Grain thresher
- Groom - farm
- Harvester machine operator
- Hatchery worker
- Hay baler operator - agriculture
- Herder - stockyards
- Hog farm worker
- Hop-picking machine operator
- Horse breaker
- Incubator tender - agriculture
- Irrigation worker
- Irrigator sprinkler system
- Irrigator wheel line system
- Irrigator, rows
- Labourer, cattle ranch
- Labourer, dairy farm
- Labourer, egg grading station
- Labourer, farm
- Labourer, field and vegetable crops
- Labourer, fruit farming
- Labourer, fur ranch
- Labourer, grain farm
- Labourer, livestock
- Labourer, poultry farming
- Lamb feedlot worker
- Livestock driver
- Livestock labourer
- Livestock weigher
- Livestock yard attendant
- Livestock yardman/woman
- Maple syrup maker
- Maple tapping worker
- Market garden worker
- Milk production labourer
- Milking machine tender
- Mushroom farm worker
- Oilseed crop worker
- Operator, baling machine - agriculture
- Operator, farm machinery
- Operator, harvester machine
- Operator, hop-picking machine
- Operator, threshing machine
- Operator, tobacco harvesting machine
- Orchard worker
- Pasture rider
- Penrider
- Pheasant farm worker
- Poultry farm labourer
- Poultry farm worker
- Poultry yard cleaner
- Primer, tobacco
- Pruner, vineyard
- Racehorse exerciser
- Ranch hand
- Ranch labourer, fur
- Ranch worker
- Row irrigator
- Sexer, chicks
- Sheep feedlot worker
- Sheep shearer
- Soya bean crop worker
- Stable assistant
- Stable hand
- Stable worker
- Stableman/woman
- Stock attendant
- Stockyard attendant
- Sugar bush worker
- Sugar-beet farm worker
- Tender, egg processing machine
- Tender, incubator - agriculture
- Tender, milking machine
- Threshing machine operator
- Tobacco curer
- Tobacco farm worker
- Tobacco harvesting machine operator
- Tobacco primer
- Tractor operator, farming
- Vegetable farm worker
- Vegetable thinner
- Vineyard pruner
- Weigher, livestock
- Worker, artificial insemination
- Worker, farm
- Yard attendant, livestock
- Yard cleaner, poultry
- Yardman/woman, livestock
- Beef cattle farm worker
- Cattle ranch labourer
- Dairy farm worker
- Farm machinery operator
- General farm worker
- Grain farm worker
- Harvester machine operator
- Hatchery worker
- Poultry farm worker
- Vegetable farm worker
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
General farm workers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Plant, fertilize, cultivate, spray, irrigate and harvest crops
- Feed and tend livestock and poultry
- Milk cows
- Operate and maintain farm machinery and equipment
- Detect disease and health problems in crops, livestock and poultry
- Examine produce for quality and prepare for market
- Set and monitor water lines, air flow and temperature in barns, pens and chicken coops
- Clean stables, barns, barnyards and pens.
General farm workers can become specialized in a particular type of crop or livestock production through experience.
Employment requirements
- There are no specific education or training requirements. However, a college certificate or specialized courses related to farming, such as farm equipment mechanics, agricultural welding, tree pruning and pesticide application, are available.
- Basic farm knowledge, usually obtained from working on a family farm, may be required for employment.
Additional information
- Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Exclusions
Breakdown summary
- Broad occupational category
- 8 – Occupations Unique to Primary Industry
- Skill level
- C – Occupations usually require secondary school and/or occupation-specific training.
- Major group
- 84 – Intermediate Occupations in Primary Industry
- Minor group
- 843 – Agriculture and Horticulture Workers
- Version
- NOC 2006 Version 1.0