Talent Acquisition

Agriculture Recruitment: 7 Effective Steps For 2025

Ian Cook

August 25, 2025

The global food supply is more complex and demanding than ever, driving unprecedented innovation and growth in the Agri-Business sector.

As we approach 2025, the agriculture industry faces a new challenge: finding and retaining the specialized talent needed to fuel this progress.

The demand for skilled professionals in areas like Digital Farming, Agri-tech development, Precision Agriculture, and Regenerative Agriculture is outpacing the available talent pool.

To succeed, companies must adopt a modern, strategic recruiting strategy that goes beyond traditional Job Postings.

In this article, a subject expert with over 20 years of experience outlines seven effective steps to attract top-tier technical professionals and secure your future workforce.
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Step 1: Build a Powerful Agriculture Employer Brand with Vouch

In a competitive market, a strong agricultural employer brand is a non-negotiable asset.

It's what differentiates you from other employers and attracts both active and passive candidates. Your brand should showcase the unique culture, purpose, and career opportunities your company offers.

This is where a video tool like Vouch is a game-changer.

Vouch empowers companies to easily create and share authentic video testimonials from their current employees.

These short, engaging videos provide an unfiltered look into your company's day-to-day operations and values. For instance, a Supply Chain Manager can share their career journey, offering genuine insight that a standard job description cannot.

Leading household name companies trust Vouch to arm their recruiters with compelling content. This strategy directly addresses the modern job seeker account and their desire for authenticity.
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Step 2: Use Dynamic Video in Your Agriculture Job Descriptions

While written job descriptions are essential, video enhances their impact.

In a world of information overload, video cuts through the noise and captures a candidate's attention.

By embedding a short video into your job postings, you can:

Humanize the role: A recruiter or team member can describe the position and team, giving a face to the role.
Explain complex concepts: For specialized roles in Crop Protection or Crop Science, a short video can explain key responsibilities in a simple, engaging way.
Showcase your work environment: A quick tour of a modern food processing facility or a high-tech farm with Automated Machinery can excite a candidate about the work.

According to studies, video job ads can increase application rates by over 34%, and CareerBuilder data shows they lead to a 51% increase in qualified applicants. Using video in your recruitment process is not just a trend; it's a proven method for smarter hiring.

Step 3: Grow Your Employee Advocacy Program

Your employees are your most credible advocates.

An employee advocacy program formalizes this power, encouraging your team to share their positive experiences with their personal and professional networks. This approach is one of the most effective forms of social media recruitment campaigns.

For the agriculture sector, this can be particularly powerful. For example, a professional in Precision Farming can share a post about a new Predictive Technology being used, reaching a highly targeted audience of peers and other professionals. This type of authentic content is far more trusted than a corporate post.

Companies with strong employee advocacy programs often see a significant increase in their candidate lead generation pipeline and a boost in brand credibility.
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Step 4: Go Beyond Compensation, Showcase Your Agriculture EVPs

Today's talent, from new graduates to C-suite level executives, is looking for more than just a base salary.

They want a clear Employee Value Proposition (EVP) that addresses their quality of life and career growth.

An EVP is the total package of rewards and benefits employees receive in exchange for their skills and dedication.

For the Food Industry and Agri Business, a strong EVP might include:

Career Profiles: Clearly defined career paths that show opportunities for educational advancement and professional growth.
Non-monetary rewards: Flexible working arrangements, paid time off for volunteering, and opportunities to work on cutting-edge projects like AI in Agriculture.
Mission-driven work: Highlighting the company's mission and role in sustainable Food Production, addressing global food supply challenges, or advancing Regenerative Agriculture practices.

By showcasing these EVPs, you can attract mission-aligned talent who are passionate about the future of food and agriculture.
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Step 5: Streamline Your Hiring Process

An inefficient hiring process can cause you to lose top talent.

A lengthy, complicated process is a major turn-off for candidates. A streamlined recruitment approach not only improves the candidate experience but also enhances your ability to secure the right person quickly.

Key elements of a streamlined process include:

User-friendly online recruitment system: Ensure your application process is mobile-friendly and straightforward.
Efficient screening: Use video screening tools like Vouch to allow candidates to answer pre-set questions on their own time, making the initial screening phase much faster for both parties.
Digital interviews: Conduct initial phone interviews and follow-up interviews using video conferencing to save time and expand your reach to candidates in different geographic locations, including North America.
Partnering with professional services: Use a third-party background check company to quickly and discreetly vet finalists. Companies like Checkr and Sterling provide reliable services to ensure a risk-free search.
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Step 6: Focus on Retention From Day One

The cost of employee turnover is substantial, especially for specialized roles. Retention starts the moment a new employee accepts your offer.

A well-structured onboarding process is critical.

Provide a comprehensive welcome package: Include everything from necessary technology to a detailed welcome guide about the company's mission, values, and benefits.
Assign a mentor: Connect the new hire with an experienced employee who can provide guidance and support, helping them navigate your onboarding and company culture.
Communicate effectively: Use internal team communication tools to keep the new hire informed and engaged before their start date. This creates a sense of belonging and excitement.

A survey from The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) shows that a solid onboarding program can improve new hire retention by 82% and productivity by over 70%.
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Step 7: Partner with Specialized Agriculture Staffing Agencies

While building your internal recruitment capabilities is key, sometimes a specialized external partner is necessary to find hard-to-fill roles.

A Full Service Recruiting agency with industry roots and deep industry connections can access talent pools that are difficult to reach otherwise.

They often have a long list of qualified women and men with specific skills in areas like Feed, Grain, Agronomy, Seed, Ethanol/Biofuels, Farm, Ranch & Feedlot, Dairy, Accounting & Financial Management, Food Processing, Ag Related Equipment and Manufacturing, and specialty/pest control.

Here are five examples of specialized agricultural recruitment firms:

De Lacy Executive Recruitment: With strong industry roots, they offer executive search services for a wide range of agricultural sectors in the UK.
agriCAREERS, INC.: A long-standing firm in North America, they have a reputation for successfully placing professionals in Agri Business, Crop Protection, Crop Science, and Food Industry roles.
Morris Bixby Group: Known for their whole-team approach, they provide recruiting for a variety of roles in the food and agriculture industries.
Agri-Placements: This agency focuses on placing professionals in the Canadian and US agriculture sectors, from farm-level to corporate roles.
Rimfire Resources: An Australian-based firm, they specialize in recruiting for roles across the entire Supply Chain, from farm gate to consumer.
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Who Are The Top 10 Agriculture Companies Globally?

Here is a list of the top 10 global employers in the agriculture sector. This list is based on recent financial reports and public data.

Cargill: The largest privately-held corporation in the United States, Cargill provides food, agricultural, financial, and industrial products and services globally.
- Employees: Over 160,000
- Revenue: $177 billion (2023)
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM): A multinational food processing and commodities trading corporation. They operate more than 270 plants around the world, turning crops into products that serve vital needs.
- Employees: Approximately 40,000
- Revenue: $102 billion (2023)
Bayer: A global life sciences company with a core focus on health care and nutrition. Their Crop Science division is a major player in Crop Protection, seeds, and Digital Agriculture.
- Employees: Approximately 100,000
- Revenue: $52 billion (2023)
BASF: A leading chemical company with a significant presence in the agriculture sector, providing innovative solutions for Seed Coatings, crop protection, and sustainable farming practices.
- Employees: Over 110,000
- Revenue: $82 billion (2023)
Wilmar International: An agribusiness giant in Asia with an integrated business model that spans the entire Supply Chain of agricultural commodities.
- Employees: Approximately 100,000
- Revenue: $73 billion (2023)
Deere & Company (John Deere): The world's largest manufacturer of agricultural machinery, known for its iconic John Deere brand. They are a leader in Precision Farming technology.
- Employees: Over 83,000
- Revenue: $61 billion (2023)
Corteva Agriscience: A global pure-play agriculture company providing seeds, crop protection, and digital solutions to farmers worldwide.
- Employees: Approximately 21,000
- Revenue: $17 billion (2023)
Nutrien: A leading provider of crop inputs, services, and solutions. The company is the largest producer of potash and the third-largest producer of nitrogen fertilizer in the world.
- Employees: Over 23,000
- Revenue: $29 billion (2023)
Bunge Limited: An agribusiness and food company operating in over 40 countries, connecting farmers to consumers by producing, processing, and distributing a wide range of commodities.
- Employees: Approximately 23,000
- Revenue: $60 billion (2023)
Tyson Foods: One of the world's largest food companies, specializing in protein. Tyson focuses on sustainable Food Production and innovation in the meat industry.
- Employees: Over 140,000
- Revenue: $52 billion (2023)
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FAQs

What is the job market like for agricultural recruiters?

The market is strong and growing, with increasing demand for skilled ag recruiters to find talent for evolving roles in Agri-tech and sustainable agriculture.

Do I need a farming background to work in agriculture?

No, the food & agriculture industry is vast, with opportunities in research, finance, marketing, and technology, making a traditional farming background unnecessary for many roles.

What are key skills for a career in modern agriculture?

A mix of technical skills, e.g., data analysis, mechatronics, and soft skills, along with problem-solving, communication and more, is essential for a successful career journey.

How are salary trends for agriculture professionals?

Salaries are competitive and growing, particularly in specialized fields like Digital Agriculture and Controlled Environmental Agriculture.

What is the role of AI in agriculture?

AI in Agriculture is used for everything from autonomous tractors and drone scouting to data analysis for optimizing crop yield and predicting weather patterns.

What's the difference between a farm and an Agri Business?

A farm focuses on farm production, while an Agri Business encompasses the entire supply chain, including processing, distribution, and financing.

Where can I find real-world data on agriculture recruitment?

You can find data from industry associations, government agriculture departments, and specialized recruitment firms like agriCAREERS, INC. and De Lacy Executive Recruitment.
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