Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 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.
- This role centers on 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..
- The work relies on speaking and active listening among the skills shown below.
- Common backgrounds include less than high school and a range of related job titles.
Quick facts
What this career is really about
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse 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. The role turns occupational data into practical guidance for people exploring this path.
Day-to-day success depends on skills such as speaking and active listening. These abilities support the communication, problem-solving, and coordination that the work requires.
Education paths vary, but less than high school is the most commonly reported background. Related work experience also plays a role, with many workers bringing relevant practice before stepping into this position.
Common job titles
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse may appear under many titles. The names below come directly from the source dataset and reflect different employer naming conventions for similar responsibilities.
- Agriculture Laborer
- Agriculture Worker
- Apple Picker
- Apple Thinner
- Apple Turner
- Asparagus Cutter
- Bale Sewer
- Baller
- Bean Picker
- Beet Topper
- Beet Worker
- Berry and Nut Harvester
- Berry Picker
- Berry Planter
- Bog Worker
- Brush Cutter
- Budder
- Bulb Farmworker
- Bulb Grower
- Bulb Packer
- Bulb Planter
- Bulb Weeder
- Cane Burner
- Cane Cutter
- Cane Flume Watcher
- Cane Flume Watchman
- Cane Loader
- Cane Packer
- Cane Pusher
- Cane Stripper
- Carrot Buncher
- Carrot Harvester
- Carrot Tier
- Celery Cutter
- Celery Packer
- Celery Stripper
- Celery Tier
- Celery Wrapper
- Citrus Fruit Packer
- Citrus Picker
- Corn Detasseler
- Corn Husker
- Corn Picker
- Corn Sheller
- Corn Shredder
- Corn Shucker
- Cotton Picker
- Cotton Puller
- Cotton Stomper
- Crop Duster Helper
- Crop Farm Helper
- Crop Farmer
- Crop Farmworker
- Crop Picker
- Crop Ranch Hand
- Culler
- Detasseler
- Digger
- Ditch Cleaner
- Ditch Digger
- Ditch Rider
- Ditch Tender
- Ditcher
- Diversified Crops Farmworker
- Dryland Farmer
- Farm Assistant
- Farm Hand
- Farm Laborer
- Farm Rancher
- Farm Worker
- Farmer
- Farmworker
- Field Broomer
- Field Cane Scaler Helper
- Field Crop Farmworker
- Field Crop Harvest Worker
- Field Hand
- Field Handyman
- Field Hauler
- Field Irrigation Worker
- Field Worker
- Fig Caprifier
- Firebreak Cutter
- Florist Helper
- Flower Cutter
- Flower Picker
- Flower Planter
- Flower Stripper
- Food Crops Farm Hand
- Fruit Cutter
- Fruit Farmer
- Fruit Farmworker
- Fruit Harvest Worker
- Fruit Harvester
- Fruit Loader
- Fruit Packer
- Fruit Picker
- Fruit Thinner
- Fruit Worker
- Gardener
- General Farm Laborer
- General Farm Worker
- Ginner
- Grafter
- Grain Farmer
- Grain Farmworker
- Grape Cutter
- Grape Picker
- Gravity Flow Irrigator
- Greenhouse Assistant
- Greenhouse Associate
- Greenhouse Laboratory Associate (Greenhouse Lab Associate)
- Greenhouse Laborer
- Greenhouse Specialist
- Greenhouse Tech (Greenhouse Technician)
- Greenhouse Transplanter
- Greenhouse Worker
- Ground Worker
- Groundman
- Grounds and Nursery Specialist
- Grove Worker
- Grower
- Grubber
- Gun Fertilizer
- Hand Cultivator
- Harvest Worker
- Harvester
- Haul Cane Brakeman
- Hay Buckler
- Hay Stacker
- Herb Digger
- Hired Hand
- Hoe Worker
- Hoer
- Hop Picker
- Hop Trainer
- Hop Worker
- Horticultural Assistant
- Horticultural Farmworker
- Horticultural Specialty Grower
- Horticultural Worker
- Horticulturist
- Hydroponic Controlled Environment Agricultural Grower
- Irrigation Equipment Remover
- Irrigation Flume Layer
- Irrigation Laborer
- Irrigation Specialist
- Irrigation System Operator
- Irrigation Technician (Irrigation Tech)
- Irrigator
- Land Clearer
- Landscape Nurseryman
- Lemon Picker
- Lettuce Cutter
- Loader
- Migratory Farm Hand
- Migratory Worker
- Mushroom Cultivator
- Mushroom Cutter
- Mushroom Growth Media Mixer
- Mushroom Picker
- Nursery Helper
- Nursery Laborer
- Nursery Transplanter
- Nursery Worker
- Nurseryman Assistant
- Nut Farmer
- Nut Farmworker
- Nut Packer
- Nut Picker
- Nut Sheller
- Olive Knocker
- Olive Picker
- Onion Tier
- Onion Topper
- Orange Picker
- Orchard Hand
- Orchard Worker
- Orchid Hand
- Orchid Transplanter
- Overhead Irrigator
- Pear Picker
- Pecan Gatherer
- Pecan Picker
- Pepper Picker
- Picker
- Plant Nursery Worker
- Plant Production Worker
- Plant Propagator
- Plant Puller
- Plant Worker
- Planting Material Carrier
- Planting Material Remover
- Planting Material Unloader
- Pole Setter
- Portable Irrigation Operator
- Potato Loader
- Potato Seed Cutter
- Produce Laborer
- Produce Wrapper
- Propagation Laborer
- Propagation Worker
- Replanter
- Rice Field Worker
- Roguer
- Seed Cutter
- Seed Potato Arranger
- Shallot Cleaner
- Shallot Packer
- Shed Hand
- Smudger
- Sprinkler Worker
- Sprinkling System Irrigator
- Sugar Cane Planter
- Tassel Clipper
- Tassel Snipper
- Thinner
- Tile Ditcher
- Tobacco Cutter
- Tobacco Prizer
- Tobacco Stemmer
- Tobacco Stripper
- Tractor Driver
- Tractor Operator
- Transplant Worker
- Transplanter
- Tree Nursery Worker
- Tree Surgeon Helper
- Tree Tapping Laborer
- Tree Wrapper
- Valve Pipe Irrigator
- Vegetable Buncher
- Vegetable Farmworker
- Vegetable Grower
- Vegetable Harvest Worker
- Vegetable Loader
- Vegetable Packer
- Vegetable Thinner
- Vegetable Tier
- Vegetable Trimmer
- Vineyard Tender
- Weed Burner
- Weeder
- Yam Curer
- Zanjero
Skills that carry the work
The skill pattern shows speaking as the leading requirement, followed by active listening and reading comprehension. These strengths shape how workers perform the core duties described above.
Scores shown on a 0–5 scale using the importance value from the provided skills table.
Education
The education distribution is varied. Less Than High School is the single largest group at 38.96%. Other credentials are also represented, indicating multiple possible paths into this career.
About 38.96% of workers in this role report less than high school as their highest level of education.
Other reported backgrounds include high school or ged and bachelor's degree, showing flexibility in preparation.
These figures describe the education workers have reported, not a mandatory checklist for entering the role.
Experience
Experience levels vary. The largest group reports none required, followed by 3–6 months. This suggests that many people enter the role after building relevant experience.
A realistic way into this career
There is no single path into this role. Many people build related skills and experience first, then move into positions with greater responsibility. The steps below are a common pattern.
Start in roles that develop speaking and active listening. These abilities form the base for the day-to-day work described in the source data.
Work in adjacent positions where you can apply those skills in real situations. This builds judgment, confidence, and the practical knowledge employers look for.
With relevant experience and the right credentials, step into a farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse position and take on the full scope of responsibilities.
Good fit signals
You work best when there are clear processes, goals, and measurable outcomes to track.
You can apply skills like speaking and active listening to coordinate with others and keep work moving.
You are open to building experience and education over time rather than expecting an instant entry path.