Agricultural Policy Officer
Snapshot
Agricultural policy officers analyse and identify agricultural policy issues and develop plans for improvement and new policy implementation. They write reports and presentations in order to communicate and acquire support for the policies from government officials and the public. They also communicate with professionals in agriculture for research and information purposes and perform administrative duties.
Agricultural policy officers play a vital role in ensuring a sustainable and productive agricultural sector. Your days will involve analyzing complex issues, researching best practices, and crafting policy recommendations. You’ll communicate these ideas through reports and presentations, engaging with government officials, agricultural professionals, and the public to build consensus and support for new initiatives. This role requires a blend of analytical skills, communication abilities, and a deep understanding of the agricultural landscape.
- • Analyzing agricultural policy issues and identifying areas for improvement.
- • Developing and drafting new policy proposals and implementation plans.
- • Preparing reports, presentations, and briefings for government officials and stakeholders.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Business and administration professionals — 134 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Czechia, Germany, Netherlands, Romania.
Longest-running shortage: Germany, 4 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $98,590 2025-05 | +5.9% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Not reported | — | +28.4% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Assessed as balanced Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | +75.6% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £55,106 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
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Future Outlook for agricultural policy officer
The outlook for agricultural policy officer reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could agricultural policy officer change as AI adoption grows?
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
This role is likely to change gradually, with AI supporting selected tasks rather than replacing the whole occupation.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- maintain relations with local representatives
- liaise with local authorities
- maintain relationships with government agencies
Where AI may become a co-pilot
Limited AI co-pilot overlap right now.
Tasks most exposed to automation
No single task here is highly automatable yet.
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Agriculture
A typical day as an agricultural policy officer
09 09:00 · Morning maintain relations with local representatives
10 10:30 · Mid-morning promote agricultural policies
12 12:00 · Midday advise on legislative acts
14 14:00 · Afternoon create solutions to problems
15 15:30 · Late afternoon develop agricultural policies
17 17:00 · Wrap-up liaise with local authorities
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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maintain relations with local representatives
Maintain good relations with representatives of the local scientific, economic and civil society.
-
maintain relationships with government agencies
Establish and maintain cordial working relationships with peers in different governmental agencies.
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create solutions to problems
Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
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develop agricultural policies
Develop programmes for development of new technologies and methodologies in agriculture, as well as the development and implementation of improved sustainability and environmental awareness in agriculture.
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liaise with local authorities
Maintain the liaison and exchange of information with regional or local authorities.
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promote agricultural policies
Promote the inclusion of agricultural programmes on a local and national level, in order to acquire support for agricultural development and sustainability awareness.
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advise on legislative acts
Advise officials in a legislature on the propositioning of new bills and the consideration of items of legislation.
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manage government policy implementation
Manage the operations of the implementation of new government policies or changes in existing policies on a national or regional level as well as the staff involved in the implementation procedure..
agroecology
The study and application of ecological and agronomic concepts and principles to agricultural production systems.
European Structural and Investment Funds regulations
The regulations and secondary legislation and policy documents governing the European Structural and Investment Funds, including the set of common general provisions and the regulations applicable to the different funds. It includes knowledge of the related national legal acts.
policy analysis
Understanding of the basic tenets of policymaking in a specific sector, its implementation processes and its consequences.
pollution legislation
Be familiar with European and National legislation regarding the risk of pollution.
- agronomy
- ecological principles
- environmental legislation in agriculture and forestry
- government policy implementation
- legislation in agriculture
- pollution prevention
- project management principles
- quality standards
Path to become an agricultural policy officer
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Bachelor's or equivalent level
686 programmes in 28 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 57 short courses that build single skills.
A few examples, taught in the language of this page:
Master of Agricultural Science (Agriculture & Food Science)
University College Dublin · Ireland
Advanced Certificate in Agriculture
Waterford & Wexford Education and Training Board · Ireland
Online master's Plant Breeding
Wageningen University · the Netherlands
Higher Certificate in Science in Agricultural Science
South East Technological University · Ireland
Agribusiness Development
Aeres Hogeschool · the Netherlands
Certificate in Agri Business
Munster Technological University · Ireland
These are 6 of 743.
Sources
- 1. Source: Europass Qualification Dataset Register (European Commission)
- 2. Bron: DUO open onderwijsdata
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does agricultural policy officer fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of educational background is typically needed to become an agricultural policy officer?
How does this role differ from working directly on a farm?
What skills are particularly important for success in this career?
How much does Agricultural Policy Officer pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 19, 2026 About our data