Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products

Tasks

Core Tasks Include:

• Purchase, for further processing or for resale, farm products, such as milk, grains, or Christmas trees.
• Negotiate contracts with farmers for the production or purchase of farm products.
• Arrange for processing or resale of purchased products.
• Arrange for transportation or storage of purchased products.
• Review orders to determine product types and quantities required to meet demand.
• Maintain records of business transactions and product inventories, reporting data to companies or government agencies as necessary.

Supplemental Tasks Include:

• Examine or test crops or products to estimate their value, determine their grade, or locate any evidence of disease or insect damage.
• Coordinate or direct activities of workers engaged in cutting, transporting, storing, or milling products and maintaining records.
• Calculate applicable government grain quotas.
• Sell supplies, such as seed, feed, fertilizers, or insecticides, arranging for loans or financing as necessary.
• Estimate land production possibilities, surveying property and studying factors such as crop rotation history, soil fertility, or irrigation facilities.
• Advise farm groups or growers on land preparation or livestock care techniques that will maximize the quantity and quality of production.

The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet291)