Buyers and Purchasing Agents for Farm Products

Also called: Agriculture Industry Coordinator, Agriculture Industry Specialist, Any Commodity Buyer, Buyer, Buying Agent

Buyers and Purchasing Agents for Farm Products

Varies

estimated salary

Buyers and purchasing agents, farm products 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.

  • Purchase, for further processing or for resale, farm products, such as milk, grains, or Christmas trees.
  • Arrange for processing or resale of purchased products.
  • Negotiate contracts with farmers for the production or purchase of farm products.
  • Arrange for transportation or storage of purchased 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.
  • Examine or test crops or products to estimate their value, determine their grade, or locate any evidence of disease or insect damage.
  • Coordinate or direct activities of workers engaged in cutting, transporting, storing, or milling products and maintaining records.
  • Sell supplies, such as seed, feed, fertilizers, or insecticides, arranging for loans or financing as necessary.
  • Advise farm groups or growers on land preparation or livestock care techniques that will maximize the quantity and quality of production.
  • Calculate applicable government grain quotas.
  • Estimate land production possibilities, surveying property and studying factors such as crop rotation history, soil fertility, or irrigation facilities.
Work Context
  • Telephone — 100% responded "Every day".
  • Face-to-Face Discussions — 99% responded "Every day".
  • Electronic Mail — 95% responded "Every day".
  • Contact With Others — 90% responded "Constant contact with others".
  • Structured versus Unstructured Work — 73% responded "A lot of freedom".
  • Work With Work Group or Team — 64% responded "Extremely important".
  • Frequency of Decision Making — 74% responded "Every day".
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Work Activities
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
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Detailed Work Activities
  • Purchase products or services.
  • Negotiate contracts with clients or service providers.
  • Execute sales or other financial transactions.
  • Coordinate logistics or other business operations.
  • Calculate data to inform organizational operations.
  • Maintain data in information systems or databases.
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Knowledge

Mathematics
  • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Customer and Personal Service
  • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Transportation
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
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Skills

Speaking
  • Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
  • Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening
  • Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension
  • Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
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Abilities

Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Expression
  • The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension
  • The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Deductive Reasoning
  • The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
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Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Persistence
  • Initiative
  • Leadership
  • Cooperation
  • Concern for Others
  • Social Orientation
  • Self Control
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Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Office suite software
  • Microsoft Office Hot Technology
Presentation software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology
Electronic mail software
  • Microsoft Outlook Hot Technology
  • IBM Lotus Notes
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