Australian agriculture wants and needs workers.
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But to get workers it needs to offer, among many things, competitive wages.
According to the most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, from August 2022, the median salary for workers in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector was $1100 a week, or $57,200 annually.
The national median across all industries was $1250, or $65,000.
ACM has compiled a list of 20 agriculture jobs in Australia and ranked them by pay.
The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector employed 439,000 people in 2020-21, the most recent figures.
This was a drop of 12 per cent since 2013-14, when it employed 498,000 workers.
Recruitment company Agricultural Appointments' analysis of job site Seek's data showed "the number of job ads being placed in this sector (agriculture) is now running above five times the level of 2013, which is a staggering statistic".
The company's 2023 Salary & Trend Report found "there has been a massive tightening of candidate supply and a huge surge in employers trying to find staff since the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020".
"Our experience is that we have had to advertise roles at least two to three times in an effort to secure relevant candidates," the report said.
Rimfire Resources managing director Mick Hay said agriculture's recent strong performance was attractive.
"Agriculture has been in a very good spot, when a lot of other industries and sectors have probably struggled, so I think naturally it has been getting a lot of airplay and then naturally people then get attracted to it," Mr Hay said.
"All the universities are reporting very strong numbers of people doing agricultural courses.
"So, we have a lot of people coming into the sector from graduate level."
Mr Hay said there were obstacles in attracting workers to agriculture jobs, with waning services in rural areas a major concern and the need to ensure partners were able to get a job.
"Twenty years ago, when we were moving people regionally, quite often you were dealing with a single income family.
"Nowadays you are more often than not dealing with a dual income family, so you are dealing with a lot more when it comes to people moving."
The analysis of 20 agriculture jobs has shown the best-paying jobs are running the big businesses, while farmhands are the lowest paid.
Many of the jobs require tertiary study, while roles advising farmers are among the better-paid jobs.
To see the list, go to farmweekly.com.au
