The agriculture industry stands as a vital cornerstone of the economy and is critical to American food security. The industry faces significant opportunities to address critical workforce needs, from managing labor shortages to integrating AI and precision farming technologies. Registered Apprenticeship is a proven solution for employers to recruit, train, and retain American agriculture talent in good, quality jobs. In 2025, there were 4,688 registered apprentices served in the agriculture industry, a 40% increase over the past 5 years.
“The average age of farmers is 58.5 years old, and many do not have an identified successor. Meanwhile, aspiring dairy farmers face significant barriers to farm ownership. If farm loss continues at the current rate, the dairy industry and the rural communities that depend on it could be decimated in a generation. Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship—the first registered Apprenticeship for farming in the nation—was specifically created to address this challenge.
New farmers face many barriers including a lack of knowledge in low-cost, sustainable methods, connections in agricultural infrastructure, and experience in business management. We address all these hurdles in our apprenticeship program by providing comprehensive training, support, and networking. The future depends on hardworking individuals who understand the importance of maintaining precious farmland, proper care for our beloved animals, and ultimately the very best dairy products we all love.”
- Joseph Tomandl, lll, Executive Director, Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship
Agriculture Registered Apprenticeship Success Stories
How Registered Apprenticeship Built a Farm Manager—and a Year Round Oyster Business
In this success story, co owner Max Burtis explains how the highs and lows of wild fisheries led them to aquaculture—and how the Maine Aquaculture Apprenticeship provides the skilled, reliable talent small farms need to thrive.
Agriculture Industry Registered Apprenticeship Community of Practice
The Agriculture Industry Registered Apprenticeship Community of Practice was developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This Community of Practice (CoP) will connect you with other stakeholders to collectively focus on ways to strengthen, expand, and modernize Registered Apprenticeships in the agriculture industry. This may be of interest to you if you are a contact for a Registered Apprenticeship program that offers training in an agriculture-related occupation or an employer, industry association, workforce system partner, State Apprenticeship Agency, grantee, non-profit, or government or community partner who works with the agriculture industry.
CoP members will receive email invitations to quarterly virtual meetings with OA and USDA where members can share peer program updates, best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from others in the field. CoP members will receive email invitations to quarterly virtual meetings with OA and USDA where members can share peer program updates, best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from others in the field. Please contact AgricultureApprenticeship@dol.gov with any questions.
Join the Community of Practice:
High-Demand Apprenticeship Occupations
- Animal Caretakers
- Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians
- Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation
- Soil and Plant Scientists
To explore more apprenticeship occupations in the Agriculture industry, view our Occupation Finder.
Agriculture Industry Resources:
General
- Agriculture Fact Sheet
- Ag Apprenticeship Toolkit from Tufts University
- Iowa State University-John Deere Partnership
- PASA Sustainable Agriculture and Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship Blog
Program Highlights
- Bombazine Oyster Company
- The Iowa Wine Growers Association (IWGA) Registered Apprenticeship Program
- Puppies for Parole
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Information
Disclaimer Statement: Agriculture resources and speaker presentation content in slide decks and recordings do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment Training Administration, Office of Apprenticeship, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the federal government.