Agricultural Equipment Operators
Drive and control farm equipment to till soil and to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops. May perform tasks, such as crop baling or hay bucking. May operate stationary equipment to perform post-harvest tasks, such as husking, shelling, threshing, and ginning.
How AI Impacts Each Task
17 tasks analyzed
Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions.
Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect equipment malfunctions.
Irrigate soil, using portable pipes or ditch systems, and maintain ditches or pipes and pumps.
Mix specified materials or chemicals, and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery.
Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment.
Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery.
Direct and monitor the activities of work crews engaged in planting, weeding, or harvesting activities.
Load hoppers, containers, or conveyors to feed machines with products, using forklifts, transfer augers, suction gates, shovels, or pitchforks.
Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungus and weed growth, and diseases, using hand sprayers.
Attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools.
Operate towed machines such as seed drills or manure spreaders to plant, fertilize, dust, and spray crops.
Drive trucks to haul crops, supplies, tools, or farm workers.
Walk beside or ride on planting machines while inserting plants in planter mechanisms at specified intervals.
Weigh crop-filled containers, and record weights and other identifying information.
Load and unload crops or containers of materials, manually or using conveyors, handtrucks, forklifts, or transfer augers.
Guide products on conveyors to regulate flow through machines, and to discard diseased or rotten products.
Position boxes or attach bags at discharge ends of machinery to catch products, removing and closing full containers.
| Task | AI Capability | Risk | Time % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions. | 5Estimated | 11.0% | 8% | |
| Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect equipment malfunctions. | 60Estimated | 51.0% | 5% | |
| Irrigate soil, using portable pipes or ditch systems, and maintain ditches or pipes and pumps. | 5Estimated | 11.0% | 4% | |
| Mix specified materials or chemicals, and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery. | 35Estimated | 47.0% | 4% | |
| Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation equipment. | 45Estimated | 27.0% | 20% | |
| Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery. | 65Estimated | 59.0% | 10% | |
| Direct and monitor the activities of work crews engaged in planting, weeding, or harvesting activities. | 20Estimated | 23.0% | 3% | |
| Load hoppers, containers, or conveyors to feed machines with products, using forklifts, transfer augers, suction gates, shovels, or pitchforks. | 30Estimated | 45.0% | 5% | |
| Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungus and weed growth, and diseases, using hand sprayers. | 20Estimated | 41.0% | 3% | |
| Attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools. | 15Estimated | 39.0% | 5% | |
| Operate towed machines such as seed drills or manure spreaders to plant, fertilize, dust, and spray crops. | 40Estimated | 25.0% | 15% | |
| Drive trucks to haul crops, supplies, tools, or farm workers. | 45Estimated | 51.0% | 5% | |
| Walk beside or ride on planting machines while inserting plants in planter mechanisms at specified intervals. | 25Estimated | 43.0% | 2% | |
| Weigh crop-filled containers, and record weights and other identifying information. | 92Estimated | 86.0% | 2% | |
| Load and unload crops or containers of materials, manually or using conveyors, handtrucks, forklifts, or transfer augers. | 35Estimated | 47.0% | 5% | |
| Guide products on conveyors to regulate flow through machines, and to discard diseased or rotten products. | 85Estimated | 67.0% | 2% | |
| Position boxes or attach bags at discharge ends of machinery to catch products, removing and closing full containers. | 40Estimated | 49.0% | 2% |
Skill Impact Analysis
AI-Vulnerable Skills (6)
Information Ordering is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Reading Comprehension is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Memorization is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Mathematics is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
Programming is AI-vulnerable but has moderate importance in this role. AI tools may handle this; focus on higher-value skills.
AI-Resistant Skills (11)
Manual Dexterity is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Adaptability/Flexibility is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Social Perceptiveness is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Equipment Maintenance is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Leadership is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Complex Problem Solving is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Coordination is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Instructing is AI-resistant — strengthening this skill provides durable career protection.
Recommended Courses
Courses matched to Agricultural Equipment Operators skill gaps, ranked by relevance to your displacement risk profile.
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Upskill to Reduce Risk
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SQL Fundamentals Skill Track
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Inspired Leadership Through Emotional Intelligence
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Risk reduction and salary impact are estimates based on skill gap analysis, course relevance, and labor market data. Actual results vary by individual circumstance.
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Score History
Risk score over 3 scoring runs
overall change
Education & Training
Percentage of workers at each education and training level
Education Level
Prior Experience Needed
Work experience required to enter this job
Training Provided After Hiring
How long it typically takes to learn on the job
Related News
Recent articles about AI affecting this occupation

Caterpillar's Monarch acquisition accelerates farm labor automation
The heavy machinery giant's purchase of a self-driving tractor startup signals a massive acceleration in agricultural automation. This consolidation means autonomous farming equipment will soon reach global scale, threatening traditional farming jobs.

USDA Launches AI Testing Network to Automate Agriculture
A new federal initiative will test AI-driven agricultural technologies aimed at cutting costs and boosting efficiency. This signals a government-backed push toward farm automation that could significantly reduce the need for manual agricultural labor.
Last scored March 14, 2026 · Based on BLS employment data and O*NET task analysis