21112 Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists

What this occupation covers

Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists provide assistance and advice to farmers on all aspects of farm management, cultivation, fertilization, harvesting, soil erosion and composition, disease prevention, nutrition, crop rotation and marketing. They are employed by businesses, institutions and governments that assist the farming community, or they may be self-employed.

Official main duties

The NOC profile lists 7 main duties for this code.

• Provide counselling and advisory services to farmers on crop cultivation and fertilization, harvesting, animal and poultry care, disease prevention, farm management, farm financing, marketing and other agricultural subjects
• Prepare and conduct advisory information sessions and lectures for farmers and other groups
• Conduct research, analyze agricultural data and prepare research reports
• Liaise with researchers, educators and government or business managers on matters pertaining to farming and agriculture
• Maintain records of services provided and the effects of advice given
• May operate unmanned aerial vehicle/drone to map drainage, plant seeds, analyze crop health and identify areas of stress and evenly spray fertilizers or pesticides.
• Agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists may specialize in specific aspects of agriculture such as animal science, field crops, horticulture, soil science, irrigation or drainage, farm management, marketing, agricultural economics, land use, and environmental management, appraisal or extension and education.

Do not copy these lines into your reference letter. The letter has to describe what you actually did, in your employer’s words. DUTYPROOF flags wording lifted from the NOC as something to review, and an officer reading a letter that mirrors the NOC reads it the same way.

What DUTYPROOF screens for

This is DUTYPROOF’s screening threshold, not IRCC’s decision. For this NOC, screening requires at least 2 of its 7 official duties to be evidenced in your own words, plus the required letter elements. IRCC asks that you performed the actions in the occupation’s lead statement and a substantial number of its main duties — so treat the duty coverage as the number that matters, not the badge.

Codes this one is confused with

The NOC profile names these itself. Choosing the wrong code of a look-alike pair is the most common way genuine work experience fails to establish eligibility.

• 21399 Other professional engineers
• 40011 Government managers - economic analysis, policy development and program administration
• 20011 Architecture and science managers
• 22110 Biological technologists and technicians
• 21110 Biologists and related scientists
• 22114 Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists

Excluded from this code

• Agricultural engineer (See 21399 Other professional engineers)
• Agricultural policy director - government services (See 40011 Government managers - economic analysis, policy development and program administration)
• Agricultural programs manager - government services (See 40011 Government managers - economic analysis, policy development and program administration)
• Agricultural representatives director (See 20011 Architecture and science managers)
• Agrology technician (See 22110 Biological technologists and technicians)
• Biologists and related scientists (See 21110 Biologists and related scientists)
• Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists (See 22114 Landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists)

Job titles filed under this code

A title on this list does not by itself put your experience in this code — the duties in your letter decide that.

acreage-quota assignment officer · agricultural advisor · agricultural consultant · agricultural extension supervisor · agricultural livestock specialist · agricultural representative · agricultural soil and crop specialist · agricultural specialist · agriculturist · agrologist · agronomist · consulting agrologist · crop specialist · demonstrator - Department of Agriculture · district agricultural specialist · district agronomist · extension service agronomist · farm management consultant · farming consultant · field service adviser - agriculture · field service agent - agriculture · government agricultural service district representative · government agricultural service representative · growers' advisor

Employment requirements

• A bachelor's or master's degree in agriculture or in a related science is required.
• Membership or eligibility for membership in a provincial institute of agrology is usually required.
• In Quebec, membership in the Ordre professionnel des agronomes is mandatory.