Farm & Fishery Hand (Seasonal Farm Worker)
🇺🇸 United States · AgricultureMy Job Lifespan
until AI starts replacing people in this job
Sep 8, 2036 · 3634 days left
Harvest robots come first for greenhouse crops like strawberries and tomatoes; do-anything open-field hands are replaced late while cheap seasonal labor exists.
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Estimated AI timeline
AI impact · ShrinkingFarm & Fishery Hand (Seasonal Farm Worker): what AI changes and what stays
A farm or fishery hand's day changes with the season and the weather: picking crops by hand in the heat or cold, hauling nets or feed, and simply doing whatever the operation needs that morning, often without knowing the task list until it's handed to you.
Where are harvest robots showing up first?
Machines that pick fruit like strawberries or tomatoes are furthest along in greenhouses and other controlled, indoor settings where the layout is predictable and every plant sits the same way. Open, mixed fields and fisheries, where the job changes by the hour and the terrain is uneven, are far harder to automate, so replacing that kind of general hand comes much later, if cheap seasonal labor keeps being available.
Why is general farm labor slow to automate?
The job itself resists a fixed machine: one day it's picking, the next it's fixing a fence or hauling feed, and the ground, weather and crop all change constantly. A robot built to do one task well doesn't hold up against a worker who can switch tasks on the spot, which is a big part of why this kind of work is expected to stay mostly human for years to come.
What can someone in this work do to move up?
Most people start with no formal training, learning tasks directly from a farm manager or crew leader. Picking up a specific skill, like operating irrigation or sorting equipment, running basic farm software, or handling livestock confidently, is usually the path from general seasonal labor into a steadier, year-round role on the same operation.
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Where you stand
#537 of 790 jobs in the United States — you get replaced sooner than 31% of jobs.
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Replaced first · highest risk
- South KoreaMedium10 yrs 1 moNov 2036
- JapanMedium9 yrs 11 moSep 2036
- TaiwanMedium9 yrs 11 moSep 2036
- Harvesting by hand in heat and cold
- Doing whatever the farm needs that day
- Handling animals, nets and tools physically
Sources
- O*NET OnLine · US · Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse ↗US occupational reference
- O*NET OnLine · US · Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals ↗US occupational reference
- O*NET OnLine · US · Forest and Conservation Workers ↗US occupational reference
Sources describe work, regulations and education. AI replacement dates and scores are AI estimates, not predictions by the cited organizations. Methodology
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