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Farmer, Producer
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Market gardeners’ duties vary with the seasons. In winter and early spring, they:
From spring to fall they:
Harvest activities vary with the type of crop. Market gardeners may:
On a year-round basis, market gardeners:
Because most market gardeners are business owners, they usually also have administrative duties related to running a business. They also may produce value-added products such as preserves or fresh bouquets for sale at farmers’ markets.
Market gardeners are independent businesspeople. They may deal directly with the public at various venues. They may also sell to other retailers, such as farmers, producers, and public markets. They work indoors and outdoors in all kinds of weather. The work can be dirty, repetitive, and physically demanding. Some heavy lifting may be required.
There is no quiet period in the working life of market gardeners. They are an important part of the strong trend to buy local. This makes it essential to grow a quality product and maintain quality throughout the marketing process.
This is the best way to maintain and increase sales from year to year. During harvest season, the earliest, highest-quality, most durable, and freshest fruits and vegetables command the best prices. Speed and organization are crucial in getting crops from field to market. Working hours may be long and irregular.
The number of possible customers within reasonable travelling distance determines sales potentials. Because of this, market gardens are most often located relatively close to major population centres.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in supervising and hiring farm workers; and in determining amounts and kinds of crops to be grown and livestock to be raised, and in purchasing farm machinery, livestock, seed, feed and other supplies
Interest in co-ordinating information to plant, cultivate and harvest crops; and in raising and breeding livestock and poultry
Interest in driving - operating and maintaining farm machinery, equipment and buildings
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Market gardeners need:
They should enjoy taking responsibility for their operations. They should like being methodical in their work. They should be comfortable operating machinery and equipment. They should be committed to lifelong learning and continuous refinement of how they grow their crops.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 40 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Nov 04, 2021 and Dec 21, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Tasks: Maintain farm machinery, equipment and buildings | 22 |
|---|---|
| Equipment and Machinery Experience: Truck | 22 |
| Construction Specialization: Organized | 20 |
| Equipment and Machinery Experience: Tractor | 19 |
| Attention to detail | 19 |
| Tasks: Perform general farm duties | 19 |
| Work Setting: Rural area | 18 |
| Construction Specialization: Team player | 17 |
| Construction Specialization: Flexibility | 16 |
| Computer Systems: Valid driver's licence | 16 |
Market gardeners need to know about:
A farm background is helpful. Those without it may gain practical experience by working on a market farm. They may also take horticulture- or agriculture-related courses or training.
Horticulture information is available from the following organizations:
The Government of Alberta offers the Green Certificate Program. The program provides apprenticeship-style training. It combines hands-on farm mentorship with formal education.
The program is free and available to students at all Alberta high schools. Various specialties, such as field crop production and irrigated crop production, are offered at each level. Graduates of the Level I Green Certificate Program are certified as farm production technicians. They may earn credits toward their high school diploma for each specialty they complete. Level II (farm production supervisor) and III (agribusiness manager) Green Certificates are also available. They are meant for people interested in a career in agriculture.
To participate in the Green Certificate Program, trainees must be at least 15 years of age and in grade 10, 11, or 12. The training takes about a year. That allows trainees to experience all 4 seasons on a farm.
For more information, students may visit the Green Certificate Program website or ask their guidance counsellor.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
To use some pesticides, market gardeners must hold a valid pesticide applicator certificate.
Certain professional titles or duties within this occupation are protected by provincial legislation. Requirements vary if you use these titles or perform these duties.
The related legislation is shown below. If there are multiple related legislations, select a certification heading to learn about each one.
Pesticide applicators use pesticides (chemicals) as part of their paid employment to control pests such as weeds, diseases, or destructive insects or animals.
Pesticide dispensers sell and store pesticides as part of their paid employment.
Under Alberta’s Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act [pdf] and Pesticide (Ministerial) Regulation [pdf], to apply a commercial-class pesticide such as insecticide, herbicide, or fungicide, you must be one of the following:
To sell pesticides, you must be a certified dispenser. There are 2 types of dispensers in Alberta:
For information on what you need and other details, visit the certification profile Pesticide Applicator and Dispenser.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Most market gardeners are self-employed small business owners. They sell produce directly to consumers through several venues. These include farmers’ markets, farm gate sales, and pick-your-own operations. Large market garden operations may hire retail and farm workers. They mostly do this on a seasonal basis. These positions can provide valuable experience for people interested in becoming market gardeners themselves. Some market gardens employ seasonal, temporary foreign workers each year.
New gardeners are advised to start with small operations. They should grow crops that are relatively easy to cultivate and suited to local growing conditions. As they gain experience and learn customer preferences, they can expand to more diverse and demanding crops. They can also add novelty items to round out their operations.
Advancement in this occupation most often takes the form of building a larger business.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Managers in agriculture
2016 NOC: 0821
95.7% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the short-term demand forecasted for this occupation in Alberta over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2023-2025 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Gardeners can reap a lot of income from a small amount of intensively farmed land. Moreover, input costs for machinery often are minimal. This makes overhead costs lower than for other types of farming. Costly specialty equipment may be required to support larger scale operations. However, much depends on the weather, market demand, and grower management and experience. In general, market garden crops are more weather sensitive than traditional crops.
Market gardeners often supplement their income through other means. Creativity is an asset. With ongoing improvements to storage techniques, growers can keep storable crops and sell them during the winter months. This is a good way to provide year-round income. Some smaller operations earn a secondary income from the sale of related goods. For example, they may sell bedding plants or value-added products such as preserves.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $15.23 | $48.08 | $26.81 | $25.64 |
| Overall | $19.38 | $57.69 | $33.59 | $28.00 |
| Top | $23.08 | $63.46 | $37.90 | $32.00 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $73,729 |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | $72,722 |
| Public Administration | $99,214 |
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry website: www.alberta.ca/agriculture-and-irrigation
Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association Facebook page: facebook.com/AFFPA
Alberta Greenhouse Growers Association website: agga.ca
Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) website: cnla.ca
Organic Alberta website: organicalberta.org
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 22, 2023. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
