Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
High69.65%
Found in Industries:
Salary Range
Low (10th %)$28,400
Median$34,360
High (90th %)$42,090
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Grade, sort, or classify unprocessed food and other agricultural products by size, weight, color, or condition.
The occupation "Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products" has an automation risk of 69.7%, which aligns closely with its base risk of 70.0%. This high risk is primarily due to the repetitive and routine nature of many core tasks. For example, the most automatable responsibilities include placing products in containers according to grade and marking the containers, weighing or visually estimating product weights, and discarding inferior or defective items while sorting acceptable ones for further processing. These tasks typically involve straightforward, manual actions that are well-suited for machine vision, sorting mechanisms, and automated weighing systems, all of which are widely available technologies in agricultural processing. Despite the predominance of automatable functions, some tasks remain somewhat resistant to complete automation. Notably, activities such as recording grades or identification numbers on tags or shipping sheets often require integration with varying record-keeping systems and may involve context-specific judgment. Grading and sorting products based on attributes such as color, species, appearance, or even subjective qualities like feel and smell also present challenges to full automation, as these criteria can be highly variable or nuanced. Additionally, while discarding defective products is listed as both automatable and resistant, certain edge cases—such as subtle imperfections or contamination undetectable by machines—can require human discernment. The primary bottleneck skills that inhibit total automation in this occupation are related to originality, which is measured at a low 1.4% for one task and 0.6% for another. These low percentages indicate that only a small portion of work requires creative problem-solving or adaptation, further justifying the high overall automation risk. While originality is sometimes needed—for instance, when unexpected grading anomalies occur or when new standards must be interpreted—it is rarely the central demand of the role. Most processes remain standardizable, meaning that advances in AI and robotics could further reduce the need for human intervention over time. Nonetheless, the limited but persistent need for judgment and adaptability ensures that a residual fraction of these jobs will continue to require a human touch in the medium term.
Filter by Automatable Status
Place products in containers according to grade and mark grades on containers.
Automatable
Weigh products or estimate their weight, visually or by feel.
Partially Automatable
Discard inferior or defective products or foreign matter, and place acceptable products in containers for further processing.
Automatable
Grade and sort products according to factors such as color, species, length, width, appearance, feel, smell, and quality to ensure correct processing and usage.
Partially Automatable
Record grade or identification numbers on tags or on shipping, receiving, or sales sheets.
Automatable
Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningScienceCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingOperations MonitoringEquipment MaintenanceJudgment and Decision MakingManagement of Material ResourcesWritingSpeakingMathematicsActive LearningLearning StrategiesMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessCoordinationPersuasionNegotiationInstructingService OrientationOperations AnalysisTechnology DesignEquipment SelectionInstallationProgrammingOperation and ControlTroubleshootingRepairingQuality Control AnalysisSystems AnalysisSystems EvaluationTime ManagementManagement of Financial ResourcesManagement of Personnel Resources
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Administration and ManagementAdministrativeEconomics and AccountingSales and MarketingCustomer and Personal ServicePersonnel and Human ResourcesProduction and ProcessingFood ProductionComputers and ElectronicsEngineering and TechnologyDesignBuilding and ConstructionMechanicalMathematicsPhysicsChemistryBiologyPsychologySociology and AnthropologyGeographyMedicine and DentistryEnglish LanguageEducation and TrainingPhilosophy and TheologyPublic Safety and SecurityLaw and GovernmentTelecommunicationsCommunications and MediaTransportationForeign LanguageFine ArtsTherapy and CounselingHistory and Archeology
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationGetting InformationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleProcessing InformationEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsAnalyzing Data or InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsThinking CreativelyUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeHandling and Moving ObjectsControlling Machines and ProcessesOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentWorking with ComputersRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentDocumenting/Recording InformationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsAssisting and Caring for OthersSelling or Influencing OthersRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsTraining and Teaching OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesCoaching and Developing OthersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersPerforming Administrative ActivitiesStaffing Organizational UnitsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesScheduling Work and ActivitiesPerforming General Physical Activities
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Food Science Technicians
Medium63.32%
Work with food scientists or technologists to perform standardized qualitative and quantitative tests to determine physical or chemical properties of food or beverage products. Includes technicians who assist in research and development of production technology, quality control, packaging, processing, and use of foods.
Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping
High71.43%
Weigh, measure, and check materials, supplies, and equipment for the purpose of keeping relevant records. Duties are primarily clerical by nature. Includes workers who collect and keep record of samples of products or materials.
Agricultural Inspectors
Medium43.19%
Inspect agricultural commodities, processing equipment, and facilities, and fish and logging operations, to ensure compliance with regulations and laws governing health, quality, and safety.
Agricultural Equipment Operators
Medium49.56%
Drive and control equipment to support agricultural activities such as tilling soil; planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops; feeding and herding livestock; or removing animal waste. May perform tasks such as crop baling or hay bucking. May operate stationary equipment to perform post-harvest tasks such as husking, shelling, threshing, and ginning.
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
Medium41.19%
Manually plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables, fruits, nuts, horticultural specialties, and field crops. Use hand tools, such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears, and knives. Duties may include tilling soil and applying fertilizers; transplanting, weeding, thinning, or pruning crops; applying pesticides; or cleaning, grading, sorting, packing, and loading harvested products. May construct trellises, repair fences and farm buildings, or participate in irrigation activities.
Log Graders and Scalers
Medium49.42%
Grade logs or estimate the marketable content or value of logs or pulpwood in sorting yards, millpond, log deck, or similar locations. Inspect logs for defects or measure logs to determine volume.
Bakers
Medium64.40%
Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
Low28.87%
Use hands or hand tools to perform routine cutting and trimming of meat, poultry, and seafood.
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
Medium53.38%
Operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.
Food Batchmakers
Medium63.36%
Set up and operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients used in the manufacturing of food products. Includes candy makers and cheese makers.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
High69.97%
Operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Medium48.23%
Set up, operate, or tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment; filter presses; shaker screens; centrifuges; condenser tubes; precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks; scrubbing towers; or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product. Includes dairy processing equipment operators.
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Medium57.80%
Set up, operate, or tend machines to crush, grind, or polish materials, such as coal, glass, grain, stone, food, or rubber.
Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Medium44.55%
Set up, operate, or tend machines that cut or slice materials, such as glass, stone, cork, rubber, tobacco, food, paper, or insulating material.
Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Medium57.10%
Set up, operate, or tend machines, such as glass-forming machines, plodder machines, and tuber machines, to shape and form products such as glassware, food, rubber, soap, brick, tile, clay, wax, tobacco, or cosmetics.
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
Medium61.82%
Operate or tend machines to prepare industrial or consumer products for storage or shipment. Includes cannery workers who pack food products.
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
High69.86%
Operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities.
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Medium36.17%
Manually move freight, stock, luggage, or other materials, or perform other general labor. Includes all manual laborers not elsewhere classified.
Machine Feeders and Offbearers
High66.68%
Feed materials into or remove materials from machines or equipment that is automatic or tended by other workers.
Packers and Packagers, Hand
Medium58.01%
Pack or package by hand a wide variety of products and materials.
Food Scientists and Technologists
Medium47.16%
Use chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and other sciences to study the principles underlying the processing and deterioration of foods; analyze food content to determine levels of vitamins, fat, sugar, and protein; discover new food sources; research ways to make processed foods safe, palatable, and healthful; and apply food science knowledge to determine best ways to process, package, preserve, store, and distribute food.
Cooks, Fast Food
Medium42.99%
Prepare and cook food in a fast food restaurant with a limited menu. Duties of these cooks are limited to preparation of a few basic items and normally involve operating large-volume single-purpose cooking equipment.
Cooks, Restaurant
Medium34.49%
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
Cooks, Short Order
Medium38.18%
Prepare and cook to order a variety of foods that require only a short preparation time. May take orders from customers and serve patrons at counters or tables.
Food Preparation Workers
Medium37.56%
Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.
Animal Breeders
Medium34.20%
Select and breed animals according to their genealogy, characteristics, and offspring. May require knowledge of artificial insemination techniques and equipment use. May involve keeping records on heats, birth intervals, or pedigree.
Farmworkers, Farm, Ranch, and Aquacultural Animals
Low31.19%
Attend to live farm, ranch, open range or aquacultural animals that may include cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses and other equines, poultry, rabbits, finfish, shellfish, and bees. Attend to animals produced for animal products, such as meat, fur, skins, feathers, eggs, milk, and honey. Duties may include feeding, watering, herding, grazing, milking, castrating, branding, de-beaking, weighing, catching, and loading animals. May maintain records on animals; examine animals to detect diseases and injuries; assist in birth deliveries; and administer medications, vaccinations, or insecticides as appropriate. May clean and maintain animal housing areas. Includes workers who shear wool from sheep and collect eggs in hatcheries.
Butchers and Meat Cutters
Medium38.24%
Cut, trim, or prepare consumer-sized portions of meat for use or sale in retail establishments.
Slaughterers and Meat Packers
Low24.83%
Perform nonroutine or precision functions involving the preparation of large portions of meat. Work may include specialized slaughtering tasks, cutting standard or premium cuts of meat for marketing, making sausage, or wrapping meats. Work typically occurs in slaughtering, meat packing, or wholesale establishments.