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Agricultural/Horticultural Consultant

Agricultural/horticultural consultants advise farmers, growers and organisations on business, production and land management solutions.

This profile is abridged from the CareersNZ website

View the more detailed profile

Pay per year

Graduate
$50k-$85k

Senior
$85k -$150k

Job opportunities

Good
Due to strong demand

What you'll do

Agricultural/horticultural consultants may do some or all of the following:

  • Advise farmers and growers on how to improve the profitability, efficiency and sustainability of farm management systems
  • Assist farmers and growers in developing and implementing business plans
  • Advise on or oversee budgets, cashflow and production targets for clients
  • Research and report on factors that affect crop production, pasture growth, and animal breeding
  • Advise farmers and growers on fertiliser and nutrient use to improve productivity and environmental performance
  • Investigate, plan and advise on methods for coping with the effects of pests and diseases and natural disasters such as floods
  • Provide advice on compliance with current legislation such as the Resource Management Act
  • Prepare property and environmental management reports for clients.

Ash talks about what it's like to be a farm advisor – 2.51 mins. (Video courtesy of Ministry for Primary Industries)

Entry requirements

To become an agricultural/horticultural consultant you usually need a Bachelor’s degree in one of the following:

  • Agricultural or horticultural science
  • Commerce
  • Agribusiness
  • Environmental science 

A driver’s licence is usually required.

For more information about your study options see: Areas of specialisation: Agriculture, Horticulture and Viticulture 

Personal requirements

Agricultural/horticultural consultants need to be: 

  • Able to build and maintain relationships with a wide range of people
  • Good communicators, with listening and public speaking skills
  • Hard-working, friendly, patient and able to inspire confidence
  • Good negotiators
  • Skilled in analysis and decision making
  • Skilled in planning, organising and problem solving 
  • Able to work under pressure with good time management skills

What are the chances of getting a job?

Chances of getting a job as an agricultural/horticultural consultant are good due to: 

  • Shortage of agricultural/horticultural consultants
  • Global trends influencing demand for specialist consultants
  • The types of employers are varied

Demand is likely to increase as farming and orchard systems become more sophisticated and farmers will need independent expert advice from agricultural/horticultural consultants.

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This information is a guide only. Last updated 25 November 2024.