Agricultural and Food Science Technicians

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Duties

Depending on their specialty, these technicians' specific responsibilities might differ. Technicians in agricultural science usually perform the following tasks:

• Comply with procedures for gathering, preparing, analyzing, and storing samples of crops or animals.
• Observe scientific testing standards when operating farm equipment and maintaining agricultural producing regions.
• To find out whether there are any infections or other issues, examine animal and crop specimens.
• Measure feed components and other inputs to livestock
• Set up and run tests in a laboratory
• Test findings should be compiled and analyzed
• Prepare test results charts, presentations, and reports.
• Typical food science technician duties include the following:
• Samples should be collected and prepared in line with standard operating procedures (SOP).
• In order to assure the safety of the food, additives, and containers, it is necessary to conduct tests on them.
• Participate in the creation, testing, and monitoring of food by food scientists
• To identify the components and formulae in food, conduct chemical analyses.
• Test findings should be compiled and analyzed
• Prepare test results charts, presentations, and reports.
• Laboratory tests can only be carried out if the right ingredients are available.
• Maintain a sanitary and safe lab environment at all times

Farm equipment, fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, and processing technologies are just few of the fields in which agricultural and food science professionals specialize. Specialization may result in a wide range of responsibilities.

There are a number of agricultural science technicians who focus on increasing the yields of crops and livestock. This group of professionals is responsible for keeping meticulous records, collecting samples for analysis, ensuring that samples are safe and of a high quality, and testing crops and animals for illness or to validate the findings of scientific investigations.

When it comes to novel production or processing methods, food science specialists are always on the lookout. They also make certain that the items are ready for distribution or are manufactured as effectively as planned throughout the production process. Food science experts spend a lot of time examining ingredients, chemicals, and additives to see whether they're safe and if they're in the right proportions.

Education

Acquiring an associate's degree in a biology or chemistry-related discipline is often required for agricultural and food science technician positions. Having a bachelor's degree may be required for certain occupations.

Pay

Workers in the field of agriculture and food science earned an average salary of $41,970 per year as of May 2020, according to the BLS. When half of an occupation's workforce earns more than the median pay, the salary is referred to as the "median wage." The bottom 10% made less than $28,650, while the top 10% earned more than $66,620. Those with a high school diploma or its equivalent, as well as relevant professional experience.

Job Projection

About as quickly as the national average for all professions, employment of agriculture and food science technologists is expected to expand 8% between 2020 and 2030.