Occupations · Business and Financial Operations

Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products

Purchase farm products either for further processing or resale. Includes tree farm contractors, grain brokers and market operators, grain buyers, and tobacco buyers. May negotiate contracts.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 13-1021.00

Pay over time

Median up 36% between 2003 and 2016, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.

BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

Purchase, for further processing or for resale, farm products, such as milk, grains, or Christmas trees.
Arrange for processing or resale of purchased products.
Negotiate contracts with farmers for the production or purchase of farm products.
Arrange for transportation or storage of purchased products.
Maintain records of business transactions and product inventories, reporting data to companies or government agencies as necessary.
Review orders to determine product types and quantities required to meet demand.
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.
Sell supplies, such as seed, feed, fertilizers, or insecticides, arranging for loans or financing as necessary.
Advise farm groups or growers on land preparation or livestock care techniques that will maximize the quantity and quality of production.
Calculate applicable government grain quotas.
Estimate land production possibilities, surveying property and studying factors such as crop rotation history, soil fertility, or irrigation facilities.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Speaking3.9

Critical Thinking3.9

Active Listening3.8

Reading Comprehension3.4

Writing3.1

Active Learning3.1

Monitoring3.1

Mathematics3.0

Learning Strategies2.5

Science1.6

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Amazon Web Services AWS software●Atlassian JIRA●Google Angular●Microsoft Access●Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft Outlook●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft Project●Microsoft Word●Oracle Database●SAP software●Salesforce software●Deltek CostpointEnterprise resource planning ERP systemIBM Lotus NotesInventory management systemsMicrosoft Dynamics GPProduct producer databasesPurchasing softwareWeb browser software

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

4 / 5Considerable preparation — a four-year degree plus several years in the field.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls−1.2 below average

Spend Time Sitting+1.2 above average

Spend Time Standing−1.0 below average

E-Mail+1.0 above average

Telephone Conversations+0.9 above average

Importance of Repeating Same Tasks+0.9 above average

Degree of Automation+0.9 above average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2013-07

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

Bachelor's Degree77%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)8%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)8%

Some College Courses7%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2013-07

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Enterprising4.9

Conventional4.8

Realistic4.6

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Negotiation3.4

Judgment and Decision Making3.4

Persuasion3.4

Complex Problem Solving3.2

Coordination3.1

Time Management3.1

Social Perceptiveness3.1

Management of Personnel Resources3.0

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

MathematicsCustomer and Personal ServiceTransportationEconomics and AccountingEnglish LanguageSales and Marketing

Abilities it leans on

Oral ExpressionSpeech ClarityOral ComprehensionDeductive ReasoningWritten ComprehensionSpeech Recognition

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

BuyerImporterCattlemanHog BuyerFur BuyerCow BuyerEgg BuyerHog TraderHide BuyerFish AgentSeed BuyerWool BuyerFarm BuyerHorse Buyer

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 2 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.

Now listed 7

+Amazon Web Services AWS software+Microsoft Dynamics GP+Google Angular+Purchasing software+Oracle Database+Salesforce software+Atlassian JIRA

No longer listed 1

−Microsoft Great Plains software

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

BuyerDealerShipperImporterHog BuyerFur BuyerCow BuyerCattlemanEgg BuyerFish AgentFarm BuyerHog Trader

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
timber trader	3323.4	close
green coffee buyer	3323.2.1	broader
purchaser	3323.2	broader
purchasing manager	1324.3.4.2	broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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