Broadacre Crop Growers

Broadacre crop growers manage large-scale farming operations growing grains, oilseeds, pulses, and other field crops across multiple hectares of land in Australia. They make strategic decisions about crop selection, planting schedules, input procurement, and harvest timing while managing labour, equipment, and compliance with agricultural regulations. Daily work involves field monitoring, equipment operation and maintenance, financial management, and responding to weather and crop health conditions.

Determine crop rotation and variety selection based on soil type, climate zone, market demand, and farm history. Operate and maintain broadacre farming equipment including tractors, seeders, sprayers, harvesters, and grain handling machinery. Monitor soil health through visual assessment, testing, and engagement with agronomists to determine fertiliser, pesticide, and amendment requirements. Plan and execute sowing operations including timing, seed rate calibration, spacing, and depth according to seasonal conditions. Scout crops regularly for pest, disease, and weed infestations and apply integrated pest management strategies or chemical controls in accordance with product labels and local regulations. Manage irrigation systems or water access to maximise crop yield while complying with water entitlement rules and local water authority requirements. Prepare harvest schedules and coordinate harvesting operations to optimise grain quality and minimise losses due to weather. Comply with Herbicide Resistance Management protocols and maintain spray application records as required by state agricultural departments.

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 land or significant capital to buy in, and you're entirely exposed to commodity price swings and weather you can't control. A bad season wipes out your year's income. You're also locked into seasonal 60 to 80 hour weeks during planting and harvest, with financial pressure making it hard to take time off.

Most growers own or lease their land rather than work as hired managers, so opportunities come through farm ownership, partnership, or contract growing arrangements rather than traditional job listings.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Basic Arithmetic and Numerical Accuracycore
• Goal Setting and Planningcore
• Inventory Trackingcore
• Negotiationcore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Research and Analysiscore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Supplier Communicationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Workload Self-Managementcore
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Digital Literacy
• ERP and Inventory Systems
• Incident Reporting
• Policy and Procedure Adherence
• Process Improvement Identification
• 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