What’s it all about then?

You’ll either run your own farm business or be employed to manage the business effectively on behalf of someone else.

You’ll be responsible for the work of farm staff, administrative issues and all financial aspects of the business.

As the farm manager you will also deal directly with suppliers, customers and other stakeholders.

Keeping up with new developments and ensuring compliance with regulations also falls under your areas of responsibility.

Many farms have diversified in recent years and all of these projects will also be overseen by you in your role.

Note that many farms are concerned with arable crops as well as livestock so please check the reference for Farm Manager (Crops) as well.

What might I be doing?

This will vary with the type of livestock being reared you should expect to have at least some of the following responsibilities:

• Planning and implementing breeding programmes
• Implementing new technology which minimises cost and enhances yield
• Recruiting and managing staff and ensuring they work safely and effectively
• Managing cash flow and developing and monitoring budgets
• Monitoring the health and welfare of the livestock
• Ensuring the farm is compliant with various legal guidelines and working to minimise the environmental impact of the business, for instance via waste disposal
• Keeping records on the movements of all livestock in to and out from the farm
• Marketing and selling the livestock to a variety of customers
• Negotiating with suppliers
• Managing any farm diversification activities
• Undertaking practical work as necessary depending on the volume of work

What will be expected of me?

As a Farm Manager you’ll be likely to spend a lot of your time in the office making sure that everything is moving along profitably and dealing with suppliers, customers and other stakeholders. This doesn’t mean that you won’t be expected to undertake manual work around the farm at times which may involve physical labour in dirty conditions.

You’ll need to be able to manage a team and solve problems as they arise without delay

Generally the role is for someone who is interested in farming as a business enterprise, as well as in science and nature generally.

What can I expect?

You can expect an extremely rewarding job where you get to spend lots of time in the open air enjoying nature as you gain experience of business.

Of course there will be early starts depending on the time of the year and, whilst you can expect to be contracted to work a 39 hour week, there may be times when this is exceeded, particularly if you are on call out for emergencies, during lambing season and so on.

Don’t expect 9-5 because you’ll be covering a seven day week on a fully flexible basis

What about the pay?

In the various UK nations Agricultural Wages Boards set minimum wage levels but you might expect the following levels:

Farm Managers can expect to earn £25k to £30k per annum, rising to over £40k as you gain more experience.

If you’re running a larger scale enterprise then it’s entirely possible to earn more than £50k per annum.

You might also enjoy rent free accommodation on the farm.

Please note that these figures are for guideline use only and you should always check for the most up to date information possible.

What qualifications do I need to get in?

Whilst there are no formal entry requirements for the role of farm manager, many people entering this area have relevant degree level qualifications which might include Agricultural Technology, Agriculture, and Agricultural Engineering etc

Alternatively you may have originally commenced employment in a farm business as a farm worker with an Apprenticeship level qualification in a subject such as Agriculture, specialising in livestock or animal husbandry

Many employers in the sector place much importance on experience so either entry type is equally valid.

Where would I get these qualifications?

Degree level and FE level qualifications are readily available through your local Agricultural College or University and you should check their online prospectuses for further information.

Your local FE College may also have suitable land based courses for you to consider but this will depend on location so you may have to travel to avail of these.

What about further training?

There are loads of post graduate level courses available for those wishing to enhance their learning or potentially specialise and again you should check what is happening at Universities

As your experience and qualifications develop you could consider then moving into other areas such as genetics, or you might consider becoming a researcher or technical specialist with animal feed companies and the like.

Anything else I might need to know?

Yes, there is a lot of competition for the job of Farm Manager and you may have to relocate in order to enjoy a suitable career progression. However this means that you can also use your experience to travel widely.

If you work for a large farm you may also be able to specialise in a particular area of interest, or you could even be given responsibility for more than one farm

Also many livestock farms are focused on a single activity, so it may be necessary to move from one type to another to gain a breadth of experience.