Farmers have a profession in agriculture and are responsible for growing crops and taking care of the farm. He is also responsible for looking after the animals that are on the farm. Farmers use different techniques and equipment, which also includes their hands in order to maintain the health of the farm.
Farming as a carrier demands physical labor as well as long hours. There are mostly two types of farmers. One which takes care of their own farms, whereas the other takes care of other’s farm for them. A farmer may have a fixed wage if he works for someone. However, in case it’s his own farm, he will have to rely on producing and selling his crop in the market.
How Much Do Farmers Really Make?
As already mentioned above, farming requires physical labor and hard work. Many people think that farming is a very hard task with a minimum wage. However, that is not true, at least not in most cases. If you are also wondering just how much do farmers really make in a year or so, then we have got you covered.
Through this draft, we will be answering your question in detail. Though, we’re afraid that we can’t really give you a short answer as it mainly depends on plenty of factors. But just to give you an idea, we can look at the average of how much farmers make annually.
According to a status report done in 2018, farm income in that year was around up to $60,000. However, these numbers don’t really tell you everything about how much farmers really do earn. There are different factors that need to be taken into consideration, along with the farmer himself. Only then can we get an estimation of how much will he make.
What Are the Factors on Which a Farmer’s Earning Depends?
These are some of the factors on which a farmer’s earnings will depend:
- Experience
Without a doubt, this is one of the most important factors which will determine how much a farmer will make from his profession. Depending on the years of experience the farmer has, he will be able to produce his crop in a far more professional and quicker method.
An experienced farmer knows everything about growing crops, along with the marketplace itself. He is able to produce high-quality crops that are in demand which in terms lets him earn more compared to the farmer who is completely inexperienced. A farmer with more than 20 years of experience can make more than twice what a completely inexperienced farmer can.
- Quantity of Crop Produced
Another important factor on which the farmer’s earning depend is the number of crops that he is able to produce. Furthermore, the quantity will also depend on the size of the farm and land that the farmer has. A bigger farm will be able to produce more crops compared to a smaller farm.
Having more crops to sell will result in the farmer getting more money.
- Quality of the Crop
You may have heard of the phrase “Quality over quantity”. This also applies here as well. A farmer can produce countless crops. However, if most of them are rotten, he won’t even be able to sell these crops.
Likewise, the better the quality of the crops is, the higher price the farmer will be able to sell these crops at. This is why it is incredibly important to look after the crops and the land itself every single day. Physical labor is needed for ensuring the land is ready for planting crops. Even after the seeds are planted, farmers have to ensure that these growing crops are not harmed in any way. The crops will yield a higher quality if the farmer makes sure of keeping everything in check.
- Education
We have seen many people think that farming does not require any level of education at all. This is completely untrue. While farming can be done with having minimum qualifications, having more education can only help in becoming a better farmer.
There are different programs launched by different governments that can help you become an official agricultural worker. What’s more is that if you are a highly educated farmer, you can also go for voluntary certifications that can boost your career. All of these play an important role in helping you become a good farmer with a better wage.
- Region and Weather Conditions
Lastly, the earnings of a farmer will also depend on the region that he lives in, alongside the weather conditions that are mostly in that region. Similarly, certain regions have certain crops that are more in demand compared to others. This is the reason why the regions in which the farmer’s currently living in is very important.
In the same way, weather conditions also play an important role in farming. Ideally, a region where it rains a lot can prove to be very beneficial for the farmer. Rainy season can be great for crops. In the same way, under certain weather and seasons, crops fail to even produce. As a result, the earnings of a farmer can vary. If he has had a lucky season full of rainy days, he will be able to earn a lot. Similarly, there are a few years where the farmer won’t earn a satisfactory amount.
The Bottom Line
Farming is a profession that certainly isn’t for everyone. For those who have a keen interest in farming, with the right practice and experience, they can definitely become a farmer with good earnings. However, farming is also one of those professions where anything can happen. Some years can prove to be very successful for your career, whereas others not so much. But farming will always have a scope in the future, as it directly affects the growth of a country itself.
Through this article, we have explained in detail how much do farmers really make. If you wish to learn more, we highly suggest giving the article a read.