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Mixed farmer

Also called crofter, smallholder, working farm manager

Mixed farmers are responsible for managing all aspects of livestock and crop production as a small enterprise or for self-sufficiency.

Will there be jobs?Limited prospectsFewer people are expected to do this work by 2035.Market-oriented skilled agricultural workersWhat does it pay?Below averageFrom about €700 (Bulgaria) to €4,500 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Market-oriented skilled agricultural workersWhat do I need to study?Upper secondary or vocational6 in 10 finished upper secondary or vocational training. 6 in 10 train through vocational routes.Market-oriented skilled agricultural workersWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Mixed crop and animal producers · ILO

What you'd do

Mixed crop and animal producers · ILO
  • Monitoring market activity and conditions, determining kinds and amounts of crops to be grown and animals to be raised, and planning and coordinating production accordingly
  • Purchasing seeds, fertilizer and other supplies
  • Performing operations such as land preparation, sowing, planting, cultivating and harvesting crops
  • Producing or buying fodder and other food supplies
  • Breeding, raising and tending animals
  • Killing and skinning animals, and preparing animals or animal products for market
  • Renting or investing in, and maintaining and cleaning farm buildings, machinery, equipment and structures
  • Storing and carrying out some processing of produce
  • Promoting and marketing products, arranging the sale, purchase and transportation of livestock, produce and supplies, and maintaining and evaluating records of farm activities and transactions
  • Training and supervising workers in animal care procedures, maintenance duties and health and safety precautions, and hiring and discharging workers and contractors
Manage farm suppliesManage crop productionAssign duties to agriculture workersManage livestockOperate farm equipment+ 5 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors and outdoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Lots of contact with people
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines now and then
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the similar US job "Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as market-oriented skilled agricultural workers in the EU
7.88m6.98m4.89m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035

More people will leave this work than new people are needed.

Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Market-oriented skilled agricultural workers-3
All jobs29
Right now
5 of 27 countries report a shortage of mixed crop and animal producers, 5 a surplus.
Mixed crop and animal producers · EURES

What does it pay?

Below average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €700 a month (Bulgaria) to €4,500 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers in the EU, women earn 16% more per hour than men. Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Upper secondary or vocational

Upper secondary or vocational training in crop and livestock production is the usual route.

Highest qualification of market-oriented skilled agricultural workers (EU, 2025)
Degree 13%Vocational 46%General secondary 10%Basic schooling 30%
Field that teaches it
Crop and livestock production
Vocational route, EU
6 in 10 trainees in this field

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.19 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 10 tasks
Monitoring market activity and conditions, determining kinds and amounts of crops to be grown and animals to be raised, and planning and coordinating production accordingly0.43
Promoting and marketing products, arranging the sale, purchase and transportation of livestock, produce and supplies, and maintaining and evaluating records of farm activities and transactions0.34
Training and supervising workers in animal care procedures, maintenance duties and health and safety precautions, and hiring and discharging workers and contractors0.24
Purchasing seeds, fertilizer and other supplies0.17
Renting or investing in, and maintaining and cleaning farm buildings, machinery, equipment and structures0.15
Producing or buying fodder and other food supplies0.14
Storing and carrying out some processing of produce0.14
Breeding, raising and tending animals0.12
Performing operations such as land preparation, sowing, planting, cultivating and harvesting crops0.09
Killing and skinning animals, and preparing animals or animal products for market0.09

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for mixed crop and animal producers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).