Farm Jobs in Iowa

Iowa agriculture stands as the economic foundation of the state, generating $159.5 billion annually—representing one-third (33%) of Iowa's total economic output—and supporting 385,332 jobs, meaning one in five Iowans (19%) work in agriculture-related industries from farm production through food processing, equipment manufacturing, transportation, and agribusiness services. The state operates 86,911 farms across 30.7 million acres (85% of Iowa's total land area, highest percentage of any state dedicated to agriculture) with an average farm size of 359 acres, producing $43.9 billion in market value of agricultural products sold annually. Iowa holds undisputed national leadership in multiple critical commodities: #1 for corn production with 2.63 billion bushels in 2024 (up 4% from 2023's 2.52 billion bushels) grown on 12.5 million harvested acres achieving a record yield of 211.0 bushels per acre—the highest corn yield in state history and driving the national corn yield to an all-time record of 179.3 bushels per acre; #1 for hog production with 25.0 million hogs on Iowa farms (December 2023 inventory, a new state record) representing 33.1% of the entire U.S. hog inventory and raising 29% of the nation's hogs annually; #1 for egg production and layer hen operations, making Iowa the leading source of eggs consumed across America; #1 for ethanol production (renewable fuel derived from corn, critical to U.S. energy independence); and #1 for biodiesel production (renewable fuel from soybeans and other feedstocks). Additional national rankings include #2 for soybean production with 598 million bushels in 2024 (up 4% from 2023's 573 million bushels) grown on 9.96 million harvested acres yielding 60.0 bushels per acre (third-highest yield and second-highest production in Iowa history), trailing only Illinois; #2 for oat production; #4 for cattle on feed; #7 for turkey production; #9 for sheep and lambs; and #11 for milk production (growing dairy sector). Iowa's agricultural economy divides between crop production generating $23.5 billion in market value (2022 data, led by corn and soybeans supplying food, feed, fuel, and export markets) and livestock/poultry production generating $20.4 billion in market value (including hogs, cattle, eggs, dairy, poultry—with 44% of agriculture-related jobs resulting from animal agriculture). The state's agricultural dominance stems from extraordinary natural advantages: deep, fertile Mollisol soils (among the world's most productive, formed over millennia by prairie grasses), favorable climate with 26-36 inches annual precipitation and 140-180 frost-free growing days, relatively flat topography ideal for large-scale mechanized farming, and strategic Midwest location providing efficient access to Mississippi River transportation and national markets. Iowa agriculture has evolved from diversified family farms of the early 1900s to today's specialized operations focused on corn-soybean rotation for crop farms and intensive livestock operations for animal agriculture, creating employment opportunities spanning spring planting (April-May), summer crop cultivation and monitoring, fall harvest (September-November for corn and soybeans—the most labor-intensive period), and year-round livestock operations requiring daily care, feeding, breeding, and facility management across hog confinements, cattle feedlots, egg-laying operations, dairy farms, and poultry production facilities throughout Iowa's agricultural landscape.

Iowa agriculture offers diverse farm types spanning intensive livestock operations, large-scale mechanized crop farms, and emerging specialty agriculture. Hog operations dominate Iowa's livestock sector with 25.0 million hogs (33.1% of U.S. inventory, #1 nationally) housed primarily in modern confinement facilities ranging from 1,000-head operations to mega-facilities with 10,000+ hogs utilizing climate-controlled barns, automated feeding systems, slatted floors with manure pits, and strict biosecurity protocols—employment opportunities include farrowing technicians managing breeding and birthing, nursery workers caring for weaned piglets, finishing barn workers monitoring grow-out hogs to market weight (280 lbs), facility maintenance staff managing ventilation/heating/feeding systems, and farm managers overseeing multiple facilities with production cycles, genetics, health programs, and regulatory compliance; work is year-round, physically demanding but increasingly technology-assisted, with many operations providing on-site housing for managers and offering competitive wages plus benefits due to critical need for reliable workers willing to work in sometimes odorous, confined animal environments requiring daily attention regardless of weather or season. Cattle feedlots (#4 nationally for cattle on feed) concentrate primarily in western Iowa near Nebraska border, featuring large operations backgrounding and finishing cattle from 600 lbs to market weight (1,300-1,400 lbs) over 4-6 months using corn-based rations—positions include pen riders checking cattle health daily, feed truck operators delivering rations using automated mixer wagons, processing crew workers handling new cattle arrivals (vaccinations, implants, sorting), and feedlot managers overseeing nutrition, health protocols, and marketing; feedlot work offers year-round employment with outdoor exposure, cattle-handling skills, and opportunities for advancement as cattle markets remain strong. Egg-laying operations establish Iowa as the nation's #1 egg producer through large-scale facilities housing hundreds of thousands of layer hens in climate-controlled barns with automated egg collection belts, feeding systems, and manure removal—employment includes egg collection and packaging workers, chicken caretakers monitoring health and behavior, facility maintenance technicians, and flock managers overseeing production cycles, biosecurity, and food safety compliance; egg operations provide year-round work, generally less physically demanding than hog or cattle work, with regular hours and often competitive hourly wages plus benefits at large commercial operations. Corn and soybean farms dominate Iowa's crop landscape with 12.5 million corn acres and 9.96 million soybean acres typically operated in 2-year rotation to maintain soil health and break pest cycles—operations range from 500-acre family farms to 5,000+ acre operations managed by farm corporations or family partnerships, utilizing massive equipment including 600+ horsepower tractors pulling 60-foot planters in spring, self-propelled sprayers with 120-foot booms for pesticide/fertilizer application, and combines with 12-row corn heads harvesting fall crops; employment opportunities include equipment operators (highly skilled positions requiring precision and equipment knowledge), grain cart operators shuttling harvested grain from combines to semi-trucks during harvest, farm laborers performing maintenance and fieldwork, truck drivers hauling grain to elevators with CDL Class A licenses commanding premium wages ($22-$28/hour), and farm managers overseeing planting decisions, input purchasing, equipment maintenance, land rental negotiations, and grain marketing—crop farming work is intensely seasonal with spring planting rush (April-May), relatively calm summer months (June-August with cultivation, spraying, scouting), and intense fall harvest (September-November with 12-14 hour days common when weather permits); winter months (December-March) see reduced labor needs focused on equipment maintenance and repair, though year-round positions exist on large operations for shop mechanics, facility managers, and livestock integration. Dairy operations (#11 nationally with growing production) feature modern facilities with 100-3,000 cow herds utilizing freestall barns, parlor or robotic milking systems, and intensive feeding programs—positions include milkers (twice-daily, year-round, early morning starts), calf care specialists, herd health workers, feed managers, and dairy herd managers; dairy work offers year-round employment stability, transferable skills valuable nationwide, and pathways to management positions. Additional farm types include turkey operations (#7 nationally) with contract growers raising turkeys for processing companies, sheep and lamb operations (#9 nationally) primarily in southern Iowa, oat production (#2 nationally) for human consumption and livestock feed, specialty crop farms growing pumpkins and vegetables for direct-to-consumer sales, certified organic operations (growing sector with demand for pesticide-free production knowledge), and agritourism operations combining farming with educational tours, corn mazes, and farm experiences. The specialization and scale of modern Iowa agriculture—where individual crop farms may plant 3,000 acres in three weeks using precision GPS equipment, and single hog facilities house 5,000 animals with three employees using automation—creates employment emphasizing technical skills, equipment operation, data management, and livestock science knowledge alongside traditional farming abilities, offering workers opportunities to operate cutting-edge agricultural technology within America's most productive farming state generating one-third of state economic output through corn, hogs, soybeans, eggs, and value-added processing industries.