Agricultural Sales Representative

Agricultural Business Technology (Major code: 120)
Nature of the Work Working Conditions Employment Training, Other Qualifications and Advancement What can I do with this major? Job Outlook Earnings Related Occupations Job Resource Links

Significant Points

• It is projected that by the year 2006, employment in this occupation will grow by 23.2 percent, an increase of 811,000 positions.
• In addition, 891,000 openings (25 percent of current positions) will become available due to employee turnover.
  

Nature of the Work

People in this career field sell agricultural products and services, such as animal feed, farm and garden equipment, dairy, poultry and veterinarian supplies.

Some of the important occupation-specific tasks an agricultural sales representative may perform include:

• Soliciting orders from customers in person or by phone.
• Displaying or showing customer agricultural related products.
• Quoting prices and credit terms.
• Compiling lists of prospective customers for use as sales leads.
• Preparing sales contracts for orders obtained.
• Consulting with customer regarding installation, setup or layout of agricultural equipment and machines.
• Informing customer of estimated delivery schedules, service contracts, warranties or other information pertaining to purchased products.
• Demonstrating use of agricultural equipment or machines.
• Preparing reports of business transactions.
• Recommending changes in customer use of agricultural products to improve production.
  

Working Conditions

In the winter, time may be spent in a clean showroom or office. Long hours from spring until fall may be spent outdoors in all kinds of weather and may be hard on family life. Regular local travel should be expected with travel over longer distances for training. Some sales representatives may be exposed to hazards from equipment or chemicals.

Employment

Science technicians held about 228,000 jobs in 1996. Over 35 percent worked in manufacturing, mostly in the chemical industry, but also in the food processing industry. About 16 percent worked in education services and another 15 percent worked in research and testing services. In 1996 the federal government employed about 16,000 science technicians, mostly in the Departments of Defense, Agriculture and Interior.

Clark State graduates have accepted jobs as custom applicators, grain inspectors and administrative assistants. Many have transferred to continue their studies at four-year colleges.

Training, Other Qualifications and Advancement

Knowledge of the following is important for an agriculture sales representative:

• Sales and marketing -- Knowledge of principles and methods involved in showing, promoting and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategies and tactics, product demonstration and sales techniques and sales control systems.
• Mathematics -- Knowledge of numbers, their operations and interrelationships including arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics and their applications.
• English language -- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar.
• Economics and accounting -- Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Examples of instructional programs helpful in becoming an agricultural sales representative include:

• Agricultural supplies retailing and wholesaling: An instructional program that generally prepares individuals to sell supplies for agricultural production, provide agricultural services and purchase and market agricultural products.
• Animal sciences, general: An instructional program that generally describes the scientific principles that underlie the breeding and husbandry of agricultural animals, and the production, processing and distribution of agricultural animal products.
• Agricultural animal nutrition: An instructional program that describes the biology and chemistry of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, water, vitamins and feed additives and their relation to animal health and the production of improved animal products.
• General selling skills and sales operations: An instructional program that prepares individuals to perform the techniques of direct consumer persuasion, involving planned, personalized communications, as agents for a wide variety of industries and product types.

Learn about Clark State's Agricultural Business major.

What can I do with this major?

This information will help you connect your college major with various career fields. Choose either the PDF or HTML version to find an outline of common career areas, typical employers, and strategies designed to maximize your success in a career. Choose Links to find a list of websites that provide information regarding college majors and related careers.

Keep in mind that the information sheets and websites are representative of typical career paths associated with each major and not a comprehensive list. You may want to explore information and websites from multiple majors to help you learn about a wide range of career opportunities.

Disclaimer: Please note that the websites listed under Links are not maintained by the Career Center but are provided as a convenience to students.

Job Outlook

Separate employment figures for agricultural sales representative are not available. However, this occupation is included in the larger group of "All other sales and related workers." In 1996 employment in the United States for this occupation was 3,503,000, of which 333,000 were self-employed.

It is projected that by the year 2006 employment in this occupation will grow by 23.2 percent, an increase of 811, 000 positions. In addition, 891, 000 openings (25 percent of current positions) will become available due to employee turnover.

Earnings

Data is not available for agricultural sales representative. The national median annual wages for similar occupations is $21,892. (Source: U.S. Census) Farm equipment assistant sales managers may earn $30,000 to $40,000 per year depending on experience, location and the farm economy. Fertilizer applicators earn in the range of $15,000 to $30,000 per year.

Clark State graduates of Agricultural Business Technology reported this salary information for the previous four years.

Related Occupations

Agricultural crop farm managers: Direct and coordinate, through supervisory personnel, activities of workers engaged in agricultural crop production for corporations, cooperatives or other owners.

Agricultural inspectors: Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment and facilities to enforce compliance with government regulations.

Custom applicators: Applies fertilizers and/or chemicals to farm fields-readies floater; loads floater in accordance with work order; organizes paperwork and maps; meets with farmers and verifies what is to be done; reloads floater from tender; fills tanks; loads fertilizer-plant storage tower; frees stuck equipment; attends meetings and seminars; does maintenance work on equipment.

First-line supervisors, agricultural crop workers: Directly supervise and coordinate activities of agricultural crop workers. Manager/supervisors are generally found in smaller establishments where they perform both supervisory and management functions, such as accounting, marketing and personnel work. May also engage in the same agricultural work as the workers they supervise.

Sources of Additional Information

• Agricultural Retailers Association
  11701 Borman Drive, Suite 110
  St. Louis, MO 63146
  

Sources: 2002-2003 Occupational Handbook (http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm)
Clark State Graduate Placement Report
Ohio Career Information System (OCIS) Program
Career Planning staff of Career Services at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (2005)

Job Resource Links - Go to the Local and National Job Bank page for more sites.

AGCareers.com
American Society of Agricultural Engineers
American Society of Agronomy
Andersons, Inc.
Bureau of Land Management
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Farms.com
Hawks Nursery
International Agribusiness Internship Center
National Arborist Association
National FFA Organization
Ohio Collegiate AG Educators
OSU:College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences
Professional Lawn Care Association of America
The Fertilizer Institute
The Scotts Company
United States Department of Agriculture