Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
Machines can already do 23% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 62%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 23% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 2% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2033, and 62% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 265,500 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $35,660 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 59% for contact with people.
- Also called: Farm Laborer, Farmer, Field Irrigation Worker, Gardener.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvest fruits and vegetables by hand | 20% | 20% to 60% | |
| Participate in the inspection, grading, sorting, storage, and post-harvest treatment of crops | 11% | 20% to 60% | |
| Plant, spray, weed, fertilize, water, and prune plants, shrubs, and trees, using gardening tools | 9% | 30% to 75% | |
| Harvest plants, and transplant or pot and label them | 7% | 20% to 60% | |
| Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, spray and harvest crops | 6% | 45% to 85% | |
| Set up and operate irrigation equipment | 5% | 3% to 30% | |
| Load agricultural products into trucks, and drive trucks to market or storage facilities | 5% | 30% to 75% | |
| Clean work areas, and maintain grounds and landscaping | 5% | 20% to 60% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers40% of tasks by 2035 · US median $37,800
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance54% of tasks by 2035 · US median $49,400
- Upholsterers40% of tasks by 2035 · US median $46,340
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners58% of tasks by 2035 · US median $36,840
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2033. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse?
Machines can do 23% of the tasks of farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse today and 62% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 45-2092.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/farmworkers-and-laborers-crop-nursery-and-greenhouse/