Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products: Job Description
Purchase farm products either for further processing or resale. Includes tree farm contractors, grain brokers and market operators, grain buyers, and tobacco buyers. May negotiate contracts.
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What Do Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of buyers and purchasing agents, farm products span:
- Purchase, for further processing or for resale, farm products, such as milk, grains, or Christmas trees.
- Arrange for processing or resale of purchased products.
- Negotiate contracts with farmers for the production or purchase of farm products.
- Arrange for transportation or storage of purchased products.
- Maintain records of business transactions and product inventories, reporting data to companies or government agencies as necessary.
- Review orders to determine product types and quantities required to meet demand.
What Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products Need to Know
Effective buyers and purchasing agents, farm products combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Agriculture Industry Coordinator
- Agriculture Industry Specialist
- Buyer
- Buying Agent
- Cattle Broker
- Cattle Buyer
- Cattle Dealer
- Cattle Shipper
How Many Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products Are There?
There are about 492,666 buyers and purchasing agents, farm products working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +6.9% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $109,813 |
| Hourly median | $52.79 |
| 10th percentile | $69,502 |
| 25th percentile | $89,657 |
| 75th percentile | $129,969 |
| 90th percentile | $150,124 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Tools and Technology
- Data base user interface and query software: Amazon Web Services AWS software (hot technology)
- Project management software: Atlassian JIRA (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Google Angular (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Oracle Database (hot technology)
- Customer relationship management CRM software: Salesforce software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of buyers and purchasing agents, farm products tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Education and Training
Most buyers and purchasing agents, farm products positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Purchasing Managers (Primary-Short)
- Supply Chain Managers (Primary-Long)
- Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers (Primary-Short)
- Wholesale and Retail Buyers, Except Farm Products (Primary-Short)
- Purchasing Agents, Except Wholesale, Retail, and Farm Products (Primary-Short)
- Customs Brokers (Supplemental)
- Logisticians (Primary-Long)
- Logistics Analysts (Primary-Long)
Where to Study
Future buyers and purchasing agents, farm products typically earn programs in:
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 13-1021.00 (Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products).