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How exposed to AI is a Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse?

Of the 30 tasks O*NET lists for farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 26 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Farm LaborerFarmerField Irrigation WorkerGardenerGreenhouse WorkerGrowerHarvesterNursery WorkerOrchard WorkerPicker
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
30
tasks rated for this occupation
25%
hold a degree, from a survey of 53
277k
people do this job in the US
6 of 12
least protected in farming and forestry

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Only with software built on top

4
  • Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs
  • Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress
  • Provide information and advice to the public regarding the selection, purchase, and care of products
  • Record information about plants and plant growth

Cannot be sped up

26
  • Direct and monitor the work of casual and seasonal help during planting and harvesting
  • Participate in the inspection, grading, sorting, storage, and post-harvest treatment of crops
  • Harvest plants, and transplant or pot and label them
  • Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and mechanical equipment
  • Harvest fruits and vegetables by hand
  • Set up and operate irrigation equipment
  • Identify plants, pests, and weeds to determine the selection and application of pesticides and fertilizers
  • Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, spray and harvest crops
  • Load agricultural products into trucks, and drive trucks to market or storage facilities
  • Clean work areas, and maintain grounds and landscaping
  • Sell and deliver plants and flowers to customers
  • Sow grass seed, or plant plugs of grass
  • Regulate greenhouse conditions, and indoor and outdoor irrigation systems
  • Cut, roll, and stack sod
  • Feel plants' leaves and note their coloring to detect the presence of insects or disease
  • Maintain and repair irrigation and climate control systems
  • Dig, cut, and transplant seedlings, cuttings, trees, and shrubs
  • Maintain inventory, ordering materials as required
  • Dig, rake, and screen soil, filling cold frames and hot beds in preparation for planting
  • Inspect plants and bud ties to assess quality
  • Trap and destroy pests, such as moles, gophers, and mice, using pesticides
  • Move containerized shrubs, plants, and trees, using wheelbarrows or tractors
  • Tie and bunch flowers, plants, shrubs, and trees, wrap their roots, and pack them into boxes to fill orders
  • Haul and spread topsoil, fertilizer, peat moss, and other materials to condition soil, using wheelbarrows or carts and shovels
  • Repair farm buildings, fences, and other structures
  • Plant, spray, weed, fertilize, water, and prune plants, shrubs, and trees, using gardening tools
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.