Broadacre Crop and Livestock Farmer

A broadacre crop and livestock farmer manages medium to large-scale agricultural operations producing grain, oilseeds, pasture, and livestock across extensive land holdings in Australia. They make strategic decisions about crop rotations, livestock breeding, resource allocation, and market timing whilst managing labour, equipment, and environmental compliance across multiple production systems.

Plan and implement annual crop rotations and paddock management schedules to optimise soil health and yield under Australian climate variability. Monitor soil moisture, nutrient levels, and pH using soil testing services and apply fertiliser programmes based on agronomic recommendations. Conduct crop scouting to identify pest pressure, disease incidence, and weed infestations, then decide on pesticide or integrated pest management interventions. Operate or oversee operation of broadacre machinery including tractors, headers, seeders, and spreaders for cultivation, planting, and harvest. Manage livestock breeding programmes by selecting breeding stock, monitoring herd genetics, coordinating artificial insemination or natural mating, and recording production data. Monitor livestock health and nutrition, arrange veterinary services for disease treatment and preventive care, and maintain animal health records for biosecurity compliance. Budget for and purchase inputs including seed, fertiliser, chemicals, feed, and fuel, negotiating with suppliers and managing cash flow across seasonal production cycles. Sell crop and livestock products through agents, direct marketing, or processor contracts, responding to commodity price movements and storage availability.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You need to own or lease the land and machinery first, which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Income swings wildly with drought, commodity prices, and disease outbreaks, so you can't count on steady money. You'll work seven days a week during planting and harvest with no real days off, and you're personally liable if things go wrong financially or environmentally.

Few jobs exist this way in metro areas. Most opportunities are in family farm succession or buying an existing operation, not traditional job hunting.

• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Goal Setting and Planningcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Negotiationcore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Supplier Communicationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Digital Literacy
• ERP and Inventory Systems
• Incident Reporting
• Invoicing and Billing Administration
• Process Improvement Identification
• Research and Analysis
• Verbal Communication
• Written Communication

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026