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Agriculture
Program Description
The Agriculture Department offers a wide array of courses that reflect agricultural production in the desert southwest, from plant science, pest management, and soils to animal science, turfgrass management, and plant propagation.
The department is continuing to work with research specialists, industry leaders, and university academia to develop advanced courses and degrees that meet the needs of the community and industry.
Graduates of the agriculture programs or certificates will learn a wide range of skills and gain industry specific experience in:
- Demonstrating the skills required in diagnosing farm business problems.
- Analyzing new and innovative production techniques.
- Identifying and solving some of the problems facing production and distribution.
- Correlating soil properties with plant growth and making recommendations regarding nutrient availability, crop water requirements, and basic soil management.
- Demonstrating necessary skills and knowledge to control common agricultural pests effectively.
- Describing the complexities and functions of pollination, fertilization, and embryo development.
- Describing the critical conditions that can lead to the growth of food-borne pathogens.
- Demonstrating an understanding of manufacturing practices and evaluating facility and inventory practices for food safety risks.
- Writing, evaluating, and revising when needed effective standard operating procedures.
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Schedule NowDegree(s) / Certificates(s)
This icon indicates a degree that can lead to a locally obtained Bachelor’s Degree.
Career Outlook
Successful completion of this program can open doors to various employment opportunities, many of which require further higher education at the university level. Below are examples of related occupations and their annual mean wages in Arizona, based on career and wage data from Pipeline AZ, which utilizes government sources for its reports and forecasts.
Description
Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring. May require knowledge of artificial insemination techniques and equipment use. May involve keeping records on heats, birth intervals, or pedigree.
Duties/Tasks
- Feed and water animals, and clean and disinfect pens, cages, yards, and hutches.
- Observe animals in heat to detect approach of estrus and exercise animals to induce or hasten estrus, if necessary.
- Treat minor injuries and ailments and contact veterinarians to obtain treatment for animals with serious illnesses or injuries.
- Purchase and stock supplies of feed and medicines.
- Select animals to be bred, and semen specimens to be used, according to knowledge of animals, genealogies, traits, and desired offspring characteristics.
- Examine animals to detect symptoms of illness or injury.
- Arrange for sale of animals and eggs to hospitals, research centers, pet shops, and food processing plants.
- Place vaccines in drinking water, inject vaccines, or dust air with vaccine powder to protect animals from diseases.
- Bathe and groom animals.
- Exercise animals to keep them in healthy condition.
Typical Education Level
High School Diploma
Description
Drive and control equipment to support agricultural activities such as tilling soil; planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops; feeding and herding livestock; or removing animal waste. May perform tasks such as crop baling or hay bucking. May operate stationary equipment to perform post-harvest tasks such as husking, shelling, threshing, and ginning.
Duties/Tasks
- Load and unload crops or containers of materials, manually or using conveyors, handtrucks, forklifts, or transfer augers.
- Mix specified materials or chemicals, and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery.
- Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungus and weed growth, and diseases, using hand sprayers.
- Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect equipment malfunctions.
- Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery.
- Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment.
- Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions.
- Load hoppers, containers, or conveyors to feed machines with products, using forklifts, transfer augers, suction gates, shovels, or pitchforks.
- Direct and monitor the activities of work crews engaged in planting, weeding, or harvesting activities.
- Operate towed machines such as seed drills or manure spreaders to plant, fertilize, dust, and spray crops.
Salary Information (AZ)
Average Salary
$33,250
$33,250
Entry Level Salary
$28,650
$28,650
Mid Level Salary
$30,000
$30,000
Expert Level Salary
$45,330
$45,330
Average Hourly Wage
$15.99
$15.99
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$13.78
$13.78
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$14.00
$14.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$21.79
$21.79
Typical Education Level
Less Than A High School Diploma
Description
Manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, and field crops. Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.
Duties/Tasks
- Record information about crops, such as pesticide use, yields, or costs.
- 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.
- 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.
Salary Information (AZ)
Average Salary
$30,700
$30,700
Entry Level Salary
$28,300
$28,300
Mid Level Salary
$28,830
$28,830
Expert Level Salary
$36,810
$36,810
Average Hourly Wage
$14.76
$14.76
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$13.61
$13.61
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$13.00
$13.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$17.70
$17.70
Typical Education Level
Less Than A High School Diploma
Description
Attend to live farm, ranch, open range or aquacultural animals that may include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, rabbits, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Attend to animals produced for animal products, such as meat, fur, skins, feathers, eggs, milk, and honey. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, grazing, milking, castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May maintain records on animals; examine animals to detect diseases and injuries; assist in birth deliveries; and administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides as appropriate. May clean and maintain animal housing areas. Includes workers who shear wool from sheep and collect eggs in hatcheries.
Duties/Tasks
- Feed and water livestock and monitor food and water supplies.
- Herd livestock to pastures for grazing or to scales, trucks, or other enclosures.
- Examine animals to detect illness, injury, or disease, and to check physical characteristics, such as rate of weight gain.
- Provide medical treatment, such as administering medications and vaccinations, or arrange for veterinarians to provide more extensive treatment.
- Mark livestock to identify ownership and grade, using brands, tags, paint, or tattoos.
- Mix feed, additives, and medicines in prescribed portions.
- Shift animals between grazing areas to ensure that they have sufficient access to food.
- Protect herds from predators, using trained dogs.
- Order food for animals, and arrange for its delivery.
- Perform duties related to livestock reproduction, such as breeding animals within appropriate timeframes, performing artificial inseminations, and helping with animal births.
Salary Information (AZ)
Average Salary
$33,120
$33,120
Entry Level Salary
$28,540
$28,540
Mid Level Salary
$30,980
$30,980
Expert Level Salary
$42,840
$42,840
Average Hourly Wage
$15.92
$15.92
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$13.72
$13.72
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$14.00
$14.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$20.60
$20.60
Typical Education Level
Some College Courses
Description
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.
Duties/Tasks
- 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.
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Description
Recruit and hire seasonal or temporary agricultural laborers. May transport, house, and provide meals for workers.
Duties/Tasks
- Pay wages of contracted farm laborers.
- Provide food, drinking water, and field sanitation facilities to contracted workers.
- Recruit and hire agricultural workers.
- Employ foremen to deal directly with workers when recruiting, hiring, instructing, assigning tasks, and enforcing work rules.
- Supervise the work of contracted employees.
- Furnish tools for employee use.
- Direct and transport workers to appropriate work sites.
- Provide check-cashing services to employees.
Typical Education Level
Less Than A High School Diploma
Description
Plan, direct, or coordinate the management or operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aquacultural operations, nurseries, timber tracts, or other agricultural establishments. May hire, train, and supervise farm workers or contract for services to carry out the day-to-day activities of the managed operation. May engage in or supervise planting, cultivating, harvesting, and financial and marketing activities.
Duties/Tasks
- Collect and record growth, production, and environmental data.
- Manage nurseries that grow horticultural plants for sale to trade or retail customers, for display or exhibition, or for research.
- Direct and monitor trapping and spawning of fish, egg incubation, and fry rearing, applying knowledge of management and fish culturing techniques.
- Direct and monitor the transfer of mature fish to lakes, ponds, streams, or commercial tanks.
- Determine how to allocate resources and to respond to unanticipated problems, such as insect infestation, drought, and fire.
- Determine plant growing conditions, such as greenhouses, hydroponics, or natural settings, and set planting and care schedules.
- Devise and participate in activities to improve fish hatching and growth rates, and to prevent disease in hatcheries.
- Position and regulate plant irrigation systems, and program environmental and irrigation control computers.
- Prepare reports required by state and federal laws.
- Inspect facilities and equipment for signs of disrepair, and perform necessary maintenance work.
Salary Information (AZ)
Average Salary
$87,730
$87,730
Entry Level Salary
$36,580
$36,580
Mid Level Salary
$97,130
$97,130
Expert Level Salary
$123,720
$123,720
Average Hourly Wage
$42.18
$42.18
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$17.59
$17.59
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$46.00
$46.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$59.48
$59.48
Description
Instruct and advise individuals and families engaged in agriculture, agricultural-related processes, or home management activities. Demonstrate procedures and apply research findings to advance agricultural and home management activities. May develop educational outreach programs. May instruct on either agricultural issues such as agricultural processes and techniques, pest management, and food safety, or on home management issues such as budgeting, nutrition, and child development.
Duties/Tasks
- Advise farmers and demonstrate techniques in areas such as feeding and health maintenance of livestock, growing and harvesting practices, and financial planning.
- Conduct classes or deliver lectures on subjects such as nutrition, home management, and farming techniques.
- Collaborate with producers to diagnose and prevent management and production problems.
- Research information requested by farmers.
- Collect and evaluate data to determine community program needs.
- Act as an advocate for farmers or farmers' groups.
- Conduct field demonstrations of new products, techniques, or services.
- Maintain records of services provided and the effects of advice given.
- Prepare and distribute leaflets, pamphlets, and visual aids for educational and informational purposes.
- Schedule and make regular visits to farmers.
- Organize, advise, and participate in community activities and organizations, such as county and state fair events and 4-H Clubs.
Salary Information (AZ)
Average Salary
$65,390
$65,390
Entry Level Salary
$48,390
$48,390
Mid Level Salary
$61,580
$61,580
Expert Level Salary
$78,150
$78,150
Average Hourly Wage
$31.44
$31.44
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$23.27
$23.27
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$29.00
$29.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$37.57
$37.57
Typical Education Level
Masters Degree
Description
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of agricultural, forestry, aquacultural, and related workers.
Duties/Tasks
- Assign tasks such as feeding and treatment of animals, and cleaning and maintenance of animal quarters.
- Record the numbers and types of fish or shellfish reared, harvested, released, sold, and shipped.
- Monitor workers to ensure that safety regulations are followed, warning or disciplining those who violate safety regulations.
- Observe animals for signs of illness, injury, or unusual behavior, notifying veterinarians or managers as warranted.
- Observe fish and beds or ponds to detect diseases, monitor fish growth, determine quality of fish, or determine completeness of harvesting.
- Train workers in tree felling or bucking, operation of tractors or loading machines, yarding or loading techniques, or safety regulations.
- Treat animal illnesses or injuries, following experience or instructions of veterinarians.
- Train workers in spawning, rearing, cultivating, and harvesting methods, and in the use of equipment.
- Train workers in techniques such as planting, harvesting, weeding, or insect identification and in the use of safety measures.
- Confer with managers to evaluate weather or soil conditions, to develop plans or procedures, or to discuss issues such as changes in fertilizers, herbicides, or cultivating techniques.
Salary Information (AZ)
Average Salary
$57,810
$57,810
Entry Level Salary
$38,020
$38,020
Mid Level Salary
$58,640
$58,640
Expert Level Salary
$79,050
$79,050
Average Hourly Wage
$27.79
$27.79
Entry Level Hourly Wage
$18.28
$18.28
Mid Level Hourly Wage
$28.00
$28.00
Expert Level Hourly Wage
$38.01
$38.01
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Classroom/Lab Tour
Do you enjoy hands-on learning? Take a walk through our Agriculture Land Lab Classroom located on the campus Ag Land Lab. Students have the ability to be in the classroom one minute, and on “the farm” the next!
In addition to 8 acres of land, Arizona Western College’s Ag Dept. has a 3-bay automated greenhouse which is used for class labs and independent study projects! Take a look around and imagine yourself with AWC Ag!
Program Photos
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Contact Information
Faculty/Staff Contact(s)
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hikmet Budak | Director of Agriculture | (928) 344-7742 | Hikmet.Budak1@azwestern.edu |
| Tracy Knudson | Administrative Assistant IV | (928) 317-7107 | Tracy.Knudson@azwestern.edu |
| Sarah Berner | Professor of Agriculture | (928) 344-7562 | sarah.berner@azwestern.edu |
| Usha Pedireddi | Professor of Agriculture | (928)317-6203 | usha.pedireddi@azwestern.edu |