Will farm supervisors be replaced by AI?
Updated
Farm supervisors score 28 of 100 for AI exposure. 44% of their task time still needs a person. AI can do 16% today and speed up another 40%.
- 16% AI can do it
- 40% AI helps
- 44% Needs a person
Low exposure
Lower than 66% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 30 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 5 of them today, speeds up 12 and leaves 13 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Record the numbers and types of fish or shellfish reared, harvested, released, sold, and shipped. Logging counts and sales records into software is routine digital work. | 60% AI can do it |
| Schedule work crews, equipment, or transportation for several different work locations. Scheduling crews and transport across sites suits planning software. | 60% AI can do it |
| Prepare and maintain time or payroll reports, as well as details of personnel actions, such as performance evaluations, hires, promotions, or disciplinary actions. Payroll and time reports are software-driven; reviews need sign off. | 60% AI can do it |
| Requisition or purchase supplies, such as insecticides, machine parts or lubricants, or tools. Supply requisitions and purchase orders can be drafted and submitted digitally. | 60% AI can do it |
| Plan work schedules according to personnel and equipment availability. Shift and equipment availability scheduling suits planning software. | 58% AI can do it |
| Read inventory records, customer orders, or shipping schedules to determine required activities. AI can read and summarize orders and schedules into required tasks. | 55% AI helps |
| Calculate or monitor budgets for maintenance or development of collections, grounds, or infrastructure. Budget tracking and forecasting in spreadsheets is well suited to AI. | 55% AI helps |
| Confer with managers to evaluate weather or soil conditions, to develop plans or procedures, or to discuss issues such as changes in fertilizers, herbicides, or cultivating techniques. AI can analyze weather and soil data; live planning discussion stays human. | 45% AI helps |
| Communicate with forestry personnel regarding forest harvesting or forest management plans, procedures, or schedules. Plans and schedules can be drafted and summarized; coordination stays human. | 45% AI helps |
| Perform both supervisory and management functions, such as accounting, marketing, and personnel work. Accounting and marketing tasks can be aided; personnel leadership stays human. | 45% AI helps |
Show the other 20 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Confer with managers to determine production requirements, conditions of equipment and supplies, and work schedules. Production data can be summarized; manager conferences remain live. | 40% AI helps |
| Assign tasks such as feeding and treatment of animals, and cleaning and maintenance of animal quarters. Assignment lists can be drafted; on site allocation stays human. | 35% AI helps |
| Monitor operations to identify and solve problems, improve work methods, and ensure compliance with safety, company, and government regulations. Monitoring data and compliance checks can be aided; problem solving stays human. | 35% AI helps |
| Coordinate the selection and movement of logs from storage areas, according to transportation schedules or production requirements. Log movement schedules can be optimized; physical handling stays human. | 30% AI helps |
| Transport or arrange for transport of animals, equipment, food, animal feed, and other supplies to and from work sites. Transport bookings can be automated; loading and moving stays physical. | 30% AI helps |
| Observe fish and beds or ponds to detect diseases, monitor fish growth, determine quality of fish, or determine completeness of harvesting. Camera or sensor tools may flag fish disease; pond checks stay physical. | 20% AI helps |
| Inspect crops, fields, or plant stock to determine conditions and need for cultivating, spraying, weeding, or harvesting. Drone and image tools help spot crop issues; field inspection stays physical. | 20% AI helps |
| Coordinate dismantling, moving, and setting up equipment at new work sites. Dismantling and setting up equipment is physical work on site. | 18% Needs a person |
| Train workers in spawning, rearing, cultivating, and harvesting methods, and in the use of equipment. Hands-on rearing and equipment training is physical; manuals can be drafted. | 15% Needs a person |
| Train workers in techniques such as planting, harvesting, weeding, or insect identification and in the use of safety measures. Field training in planting and weeding is hands-on and in person. | 15% Needs a person |
| Monitor or oversee construction projects, such as horticultural buildings or irrigation systems. Overseeing construction sites requires physical presence and judgement. | 15% Needs a person |
| Monitor workers to ensure that safety regulations are followed, warning or disciplining those who violate safety regulations. Safety monitoring needs on site observation and interpersonal discipline. | 12% Needs a person |
| Train workers in tree felling or bucking, operation of tractors or loading machines, yarding or loading techniques, or safety regulations. Hands-on training in felling and machinery operation is physical. | 12% Needs a person |
| Inspect buildings, fences, fields or ranges, supplies, and equipment to determine work to be performed. Inspecting buildings, fences and equipment requires on site presence. | 12% Needs a person |
| Inspect facilities to determine maintenance needs. Facility maintenance needs need physical inspection on site. | 12% Needs a person |
| Observe animals for signs of illness, injury, or unusual behavior, notifying veterinarians or managers as warranted. Spotting sick or injured animals requires physical presence and observation. | 10% Needs a person |
| Issue equipment, such as farm implements, machinery, ladders, or containers to workers, and collect equipment when work is complete. Physical handover and collection of equipment happens in person. | 10% Needs a person |
| Direct or assist with the adjustment or repair of equipment or machinery. Equipment repair is hands-on mechanical work. | 8% Needs a person |
| Drive or operate farm machinery, such as trucks, tractors, or self-propelled harvesters, to transport workers or supplies or to cultivate or harvest fields. Operating tractors and harvesters is physical machine work. | 4% Needs a person |
| Treat animal illnesses or injuries, following experience or instructions of veterinarians. Treating animal illness or injury is physical care under vet direction. | 3% Needs a person |
How farm supervisors compare
All occupations (923)
Farming, fishing and forestry (12)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $59,320 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 27,960 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +3.8% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Build multi-site crew and equipment schedules in Microsoft Excel
- Hold a pesticide applicator licence for insecticide handling
- Run on-site safety inspections and document violations in Microsoft Word
- Log animal health checks in DairyCOMP 305 with veterinarians
- Record forestry harvest data in BCS The Logger Tracker
Questions about farm supervisors and AI
Will AI replace farm supervisors?
Partly. About 3 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly scheduling crews across sites and preparing time and payroll reports. Supervising workers on site, watching for safety breaches and handling equipment stay with people because they need a person physically present.
Which farm supervisor tasks is AI taking over?
Record-keeping and purchasing lead the list. Recording fish or shellfish counts and sales in software scores 60 on exposure, because logging counts is routine digital work. Requisitioning supplies and machine parts also scores 60, since purchase orders can be drafted and submitted digitally. Reading orders and shipping schedules to set daily tasks scores 55, and AI can summarize them into task lists.
Which farm supervisor tasks stay human?
Hands-on animal care, machinery work and safety monitoring stay with people. Treating animal illness under veterinary direction scores 3 on exposure, since it is physical care. Driving tractors and harvesters scores 4 because it is physical machine work, and safety monitoring scores 12 because it needs on-site observation and direct discipline.
How can farm supervisors stay valuable?
Spend more hours on site and let software handle the paperwork. Check every AI-drafted crew schedule against live equipment availability before release. Keep time and payroll records in Microsoft Excel, then sign off each performance review in person. Walk herd and animal health checks with veterinarians, and log findings in DairyCOMP 305.
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