Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products
SOC code 13-1021 · O*NET-SOC 13-1021.00 · Considerable preparation needed · Business and finance
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth for this occupation
Buyers and Purchasing Agents, Farm Products pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$77,710
a year
Hourly
$37.36
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$83,770
$40.27 per hour
Middle 50%
$60,800 – $100,820
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$48,380 – $128,870
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
491,430
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
These pay and employment figures are for the broader BLS group “Buyers and Purchasing Agents”, not this job alone.
- 10th percentile
- $48,380
- $23.26/hr
- 25th percentile
- $60,800
- $29.23/hr
- Median percentile
- $77,710
- $37.36/hr
- 75th percentile
- $100,820
- $48.47/hr
- 90th percentile
- $128,870
- $61.96/hr
What do buyers and purchasing agents, farm products do?
Purchase farm products either for further processing or resale. Includes tree farm contractors, grain brokers and market operators, grain buyers, and tobacco buyers. May negotiate contracts.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Purchase, for further processing or for resale, farm products, such as milk, grains, or Christmas trees.
- Negotiate contracts with farmers for the production or purchase of farm products.
- Maintain records of business transactions and product inventories, reporting data to companies or government agencies as necessary.
- Review orders to determine product types and quantities required to meet demand.
- Arrange for transportation or storage of purchased products.
- Arrange for processing or resale of purchased products.
- Coordinate or direct activities of workers engaged in cutting, transporting, storing, or milling products and maintaining records.
- Examine or test crops or products to estimate their value, determine their grade, or locate any evidence of disease or insect damage.
How to qualify for this work
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.
Common questions
How much does a buyers and purchasing agents, farm products earn?
The national median is $77,710 a year. The full range runs from $48,380 at the 10th percentile to $128,870 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a buyers and purchasing agents, farm products without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Speaking3.8/5
- Reading Comprehension3.5/5
- Writing3.3/5
- Monitoring3.1/5
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service4.4/5
- Food Production4.1/5
- Sales and Marketing4.0/5
- Economics and Accounting3.8/5
- Transportation3.8/5
- English Language3.5/5
- Mathematics3.5/5
- Production and Processing3.2/5
Transferable strengths: Negotiation, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving.