What You'll Do

  • 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.
  • 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.

Essential Skills

Speaking 3.88/5
Critical Thinking 3.88/5
Active Listening 3.75/5
Reading Comprehension 3.38/5
Persuasion 3.38/5
Negotiation 3.38/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.38/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.25/5
Writing 3.12/5
Active Learning 3.12/5
Monitoring 3.12/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.12/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Leader: Taking charge and moving ideas forward motivates you.
  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.

Common styles

Dependability, Attention to Detail, Integrity, Self-Confidence, Achievement Orientation

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Expression 4.0/5
Oral Comprehension 3.62/5
Written Comprehension 3.62/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.62/5
Speech Clarity 3.62/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.38/5
Inductive Reasoning 3.38/5
Near Vision 3.38/5

Technologies & Tools

Amazon Web Services AWS software Atlassian JIRA Customer relationship management CRM software Deltek Costpoint Enterprise resource planning ERP system Google Angular IBM Lotus Notes Inventory management systems Microsoft Access Microsoft Dynamics GP Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Project Microsoft Word Oracle Database Product producer databases Purchasing software Salesforce software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Dependability (High importance: 4.61/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.48/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.35/5)
  • Self-Confidence (High importance: 4.29/5)
  • Achievement Orientation (High importance: 4.13/5)

Want to see how YOUR strengths align with this career?

Take Free 15-Min Assessment →

How to Become One

Most employers require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Some positions may also require experience through internships, co-ops, or entry-level work to strengthen your candidacy.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Agriculture Industry Coordinator Agriculture Industry Specialist Buyer Buying Agent Cattle Broker Cattle Buyer Cattle Dealer Cattle Shipper Cattle Trader Cattleman Chicken Buyer Christmas Tree Contractor Clean Rice Broker Cotton Agent Cotton Broker Cotton Buyer Cotton Converter Cotton Factor Cotton Purchasing Agent Cow Buyer Cream Buyer Egg Buyer Farm Buyer Farm Contractor Farm Product Purchaser Farm Products Purchasing Agent Farm Products Shipper Farm Specialist Field Contact Person Field Contact Technician Field Contractor Fish Agent Flour Broker Food Broker Fruit Buyer Fruit Shipper Fur Buyer Grain Broker Grain Buyer Grain Elevator Man Grain Elevator Operator Grain Elevator Worker Grain Merchandiser Grain Origination Specialist Grain Purchasing Agent Grain Shipper Hide Buyer Hog Buyer Hog Trader Horse Buyer Horse Trader Import Coordinator Importer Importer Exporter Internal Wholesaler Livestock Broker Livestock Buyer Livestock Commission Agent Livestock Dealer Livestock Purchasing Agent Livestock Speculator Livestock Trader Livestock, Grain, Cotton and Other Farm Products Purchasing Agent Origination Director Origination Specialist Oyster Buyer Oyster Shipper Poultry Buyer Procurement Specialist Produce Broker Produce Buyer Produce Shipper Purchasing Agent Purchasing Coordinator Purchasing Specialist Resident Buyer Seed Buyer Stock Buyer Stock Dealer Stock Shipper Stock Trader Tobacco Buyer Vehicle Purchasing Agent Wheat Buyer Wheat Shipper Wool Buyer

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.