Think of a greengrocer shop or supermarket aisle filled with British fruit and veg: you would see apples, pears, plums, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, salads, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, mushrooms, watercress... They are all grown by fruit and vegetable nurseries in the UK. The technology involved in growing edible plants plus the job opportunities from management to marketing make working on a fruit or veg nursery a rewarding career.
Farm managers raise crops, plan strategies for maximum yield, organise farm administration, work machinery, organise associated businesses and manage staff. They need to have technical and practical competence coupled with the ability to make sound business decisions.
Farm managers either run their own business or are employed to run a farm efficiently and profitably for someone else.
Farming varies enormously depending on the local climate, soil and accessibility of markets for their produce. A farm manager's daily work depends on what type of farm they are managing:
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In Production Horticulture this would be mostly Arable - growing crops for human and animal consumption, such as cereals (wheat, barley, maize and oats), potatoes, sugar beet, fruit and vegetables, as well as non-food crops for energy or pharmaceuticals. Farm managers also deal with harvesting, storing and processing crops, which may involve using mechanised and computer-controlled equipment
Some farmers practice Precision Farming requiring the use of new technologies, such as global positioning (GPS), sensors, satellites or aerial images, and information management tools to assess and understand variations. Collected information may be used to more precisely evaluate optimum seed sowing density, estimate fertilisers and other inputs needs, and to more accurately predict crop yields.
Farmers are required to work within the regulations set by Defra, The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and many farms are members of Farm Assurance Schemes that set standards for safe, high quality produce farmed in an environmentally sustainable manner.
The day-to-day work of a farm manager may include:
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Planning - setting production targets, recruiting, managing and mentoring staff, buying materials needed for the farm, such as maintaining health and safety on the farm
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Record keeping - managing the farm's budget, cash flow and communicating with organisations that make payments to farmers that comply with strict environmental and production standards
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Legislation - ensuring the farm is operating within the legal guidelines set by bodies, such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the European Union (EU) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
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Environmental considerations - managing the environmental impact of their farm on the local area. This can range from ensuring rivers are not polluted by farm products to protecting soils and certain features in the countryside e.g. trees and hedges, particularly if the farm is situated in a site of special scientific interest
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Continually monitoring the quality and performance of their produce, both arable and livestock (if they have any)
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Monitoring the health and welfare of their animals (if they have any)
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Marketing and selling produce - negotiating with buyers such as supermarket chains, food processors or local supply chains
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Practical work - on smaller farms, farm managers may be involved with general tasks such as feeding livestock, driving tractors and operating and repairing machinery
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Many farmers have diversified their activities to supplement their income, for example by running a bed and breakfast or a farm shop
Farm managers work closely with the farm owner, and possibly other farm managers and farm management consultants.
From large glasshouses growing tomatoes and other salad crops to very large farms specialising in field-grown vegetables or fruit growing. There is also a range of jobs outside the immediate area of growing. Supermarkets require field officers to manage the need for a daily supply of fresh produce. There are also the suppliers, who provide everything from packaging to spray chemicals, who need specialist advisers and research workers to develop new products.
Most farm managers' are contracted to work 39 hours a week. However, in practice, many farm managers work longer hours. The nature of this job means that farmers may be on call day and night, seven days a week. There are often no set hours and certain times of the year are particularly busy. Early morning starts are typical. The hours worked are influenced by the particular season such as harvest time. Days worked during these seasons can be typically long.
Practical work on the farm is usually outdoors, in all weather conditions. The work involves lifting, carrying, bending and standing. Work on an arable farm growing grain crops is likely to be dusty.
Farm managers also spend time in an office dealing with paperwork. On a smaller farm the manager will get involved in many of the farming tasks, while on a larger farm the manager is likely to spend most of their time in a farm office.
A driving licence is useful.
These figures are only a guide, as actual rates of pay may vary, depending on the employer and where people live:
Minimum wage scales for agricultural work are set each year by the Agricultural Wages Boards for England and Wales. Individual employers may pay more according to the manager's skill and experience.
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Starting salaries for farm managers are at least £20,000 a year
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With experience, farm managers may earn between £26,000 and £30,000
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The manager of a large farm with over ten years' experience may earn over £50,000 a year
Farm managers may be provided with rent-free accommodation and a vehicle. There may also be other benefits such as farm produce and a pension scheme.
- Respond to health emergencies within the workplace
- Promote good standards of health and safety
- Monitor and maintain the health, safety and security of the workplace
- Maintain environmental good practice at work
- Monitor, and plan the control of pests, diseases and disorders
- Manage the control of pests, diseases and disorders
- Contribute to the management of episodes of aggressive and abusive behaviour of people
- Contribute to the promotion of non-aggressive and non-abusive behaviour of people
- Maintain moisture levels and provide nutrients to crops
- Maintain plant development
- Monitor and report on the growth and development of crops
- Monitor and maintain crop development
- Monitor and adjust watering systems
- Provide nutrients to crops
- Prepare harvested intensive crops
- Maintain the harvesting of intensive crops
- Monitor, adjust and record environmental conditions for protected
- Prepare environmental conditions for protected crops
- Manage finances for your area of responsibility
- Contribute to the control of resources
- Make recommendations for the use of resources
- Provide feedback to teams and individuals on their work
- Plan the work of teams and individuals
- Assess the work of teams and individuals
- Inform and advise others
- Gather required information
- Hold meetings
- Lead meetings
- Make contributions to meetings
- Analyse information to support decision making
- Obtain information for decision making
- Record and store information
- Advise and inform others
- Recommend improvements to quality assurance systems
- Maintain quality assurance systems
- Review how effective your marketing, sales, production, finance and staffing are
- Make sure the plan is improving the business
- Review business performance against the plan
- Increase the profitability of the business
- Manage the cash flow of the business
- Plan your staffing
- Decide if the business has the right skills
- Choose staff
- Plan recruitment
- Monitor the work of your staff
- Improve your staff’s skills
- Commission contract work to enable objectives to be met
- Monitor and evaluate the progress of contract work against targets
- Support contractors to enable them to achieve objectives
- Promote1 the characteristics and values of the organisation
- Assess and give feedback on performance
- Ensure a healthy and safe workplace
- Conduct Risk Assessment in the workplace
- Prepare to interview
- Interview and select candidates
- Resolve customer disputes
- Maintain and improve relationships with customers through communication
- Define and meet personnel requirements
- Manage effective working relationships
- Enhance performance through development of self, individuals and teams
- Manage interpersonal conflict, disciplinary and grievance procedures
- Help teams to achieve their objectives
- Manage information, knowledge and communications
- Minimise interpersonal conflict
- Develop the trust and support of colleagues and team members
- Develop the trust and support of your manager
- Produce a business plan
- Implement the business plan
- Make selective use of IT (level 2)
- maintain safe and effective work in off-ground situations
- Maintain and co-ordinate the safe movement of people on sites
- Maintain safe and effective work in isolated situations or when working alone
- Write the technical report
- Issue the technical report
- Prepare to write the technical report
There are a wide range of full-time college courses available. These vary from one to three years’ study, and usually the student will need at least three GCSEs at C grade and above, including maths and English, to get in.
Most colleges have their own farms where students gain a mix of theory and practical work.
At a higher level there are also degree programmes on offer. These require one to two A Levels and tuition fees will cost around £3,000 per year. The Royal Horticultural Society runs a one year special option certificate training programme at its Wisley gardens on fruit growing, and also employs gardeners to look after the extensive orchards and vegetable gardens.
Many growers start by working at a nursery and develop their career through apprenticeships, combining on-the-job training and practical experience with day-release at a college.
Employment opportunities can be found in the following places:
Websites:
Magazines and Journals
A farm manager may progress to being responsible for overseeing the work of several farms.They may also work as a consultant or civil servant making policy with Government departments such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
For further support and information on careers in the Production Horticulture industries you can contact the Lantra Connect Service
Tel: 024 7669 6996 or e-mail productionhorticulture@lantra.co.uk
You can also find additional information from the following organisations and publications:
Industry Information
Publications