Bonnie Johnson
March 07, 2024
Media ArticleThe U.S. agricultural industry not only provides daily necessities, but millions of stable, enriching careers. AgCareers.com is dedicated to actively engaging with candidates and employers in the ag and food industry. We are committed to building the talent pipeline for the industry by increasing awareness of the wide range of career opportunities available. As part of this commitment, AgCareers.com conducts an annual analysis of hiring trends to gain insights into career trends and candidate behavior within the sector. During this National Agriculture Week, AgCareers.com released the new 2023 U.S. Agriculture & Food Job Report.
Applicants
Candidates are actively seeking careers in agriculture and utilize AgCareers.com as a valuable resource in their job search process to connect with potential employers. There was a 23% increase in applications processed in 2023. Nearly 4,000 new U.S. candidates created job seeker accounts on AgCareers.com last year. Candidates added over 3,700 new resumes to the AgCareers.com database in 2023, an increase of nearly 20% from the previous year.
Our site draws applicant traffic from a range of occupations and educational backgrounds inside and outside of the agricultural industry; 53% had an ag-based degree, with the most common degree being Ag Business Management. Just over half (51%) of applicants were most recently in an ag occupation. For those not currently employed in the agricultural industry, the highest percentage was in roles with transferable skills applicable to the industry, such as sales and marketing, or customer service.
AgCareers.com is a valued resource for professionals with an established career history, as 47% of North American job seekers have more than five years of experience. The site is also a solid connector for students and young professionals with the Education Partners Program, Career Guide, Internship opportunities, and more; students comprise 11% of applications processed yearly.
Jobs
When we examined all U.S. jobs posted on AgCareers.com, “Chemical, Pesticide, and Fertilizer” was the leading industry sector, and “Sales/Retail” was the top career type by volume. Looking at growth trends, “Consultant/Agent” and “Transportation/Truck Driver” careers significantly increased.
The number of jobs posted on AgCareers.com by employers in the remote/work-from-home category more than doubled from 2020 to 2023. U.S. Employers posted remote positions most frequently in the “Precision & Ag Technology” industry type. Candidates are likewise looking for remote/work-from-home jobs at an accelerating rate. Observing job seekers’ keyword searches on www.AgCareers.com, “remote” was again at the top.
Discover more hiring and candidate trends—download your free copy of the 2023 U.S. Job Report here.
