Agricultural work may mean traveling from farm to farm, helping with planting to harvest to any work during the growing season. It may mean tending to livestock or converting farmland to organic growing processes away from chemically-based production. Farm workers may also tend to machinery and structures on the farmland.
Whatever your specialty or desired position, a farm worker cover letter that’s outstanding in your field will give you a leg up when it comes to getting an interview. But why do you need a cover letter and what makes one outstanding?
This farm worker cover letter guide and corresponding example will answer those questions and discuss the following:
- What is the best format for a farm worker cover letter?
- What sections should be included?
- How to make the most of your work history
- Overall writing tips
Let’s start with the sections of your application letter.
Best format for a farm worker cover letter
Formatting is an important part of any farm worker cover letter. Before you jump into writing, you need a structure you can work with.
The format of a farm worker cover letter should contain the following elements:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting/salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
For general advice on cover letters, read our comprehensive cover letter guide, but below you will find specific advice on how to make the most of each section of your own document.
This farm worker cover letter example will give you a blueprint for writing your own cover letter:
Dear Mr. Kallings,
As an accomplished operator of agricultural machinery, having worked as a contractor across fifteen different farms over the past seven years, I am looking for a role where I can work for one employer and use my experience to optimize their operations.
With a degree in mechanical engineering, I have always been the go-to person when machinery misbehaves. I have worked with tractors, backhoes, front loaders, seed drills, cultivators, plows, combines, and balers, to name but a few. The breadth of my contracting experience meant that I encountered a range of machinery in terms of complexity and age. I understand that there is a mix of equipment on your farm.
While I am at my happiest getting my hands greasy, I am a student of modern technology and enjoy exploring the use cases for vision software, drones, and all manner of robotics. I have worked with AI farming applications for the past two years and look forward to working with your team in this area.
I am familiar with all manner of crops and am always in the fields when the time comes. I designed a new irrigation system at my previous employer which increased the yield by 15%. I am adept at mixing fertilizers and managing pests with the most suitable insecticides. I have a pilot’s license and have completed over 400 hours of crop spraying.
I hope to bring my skills to your fantastic team at Hill Farm and would love the opportunity of an interview to hear about your plans for the future.
Sincerely,
Doug Sanders
If you’re looking for additional inspiration for cover letter writing, you can check out our related IT cover letter samples:
Cover letter header
Your farm worker cover letter plays the important role of displaying your name and contact information. It also serves as the only graphic element in your document. The header should use the same design structure as your resume in order to unite your application documents into one cohesive package.
You may be tempted to go with an agricultural theme in your header: Do so only if you know that the farm has a casual culture.
Make sure you use a phone number and professional email address that you check regularly. It would be a shame to lose out on an opportunity because you missed a message.
Social media
If you have a LinkedIn profile or if your social media presence illustrates your love of farm animals, agriculture, or any topic related to your desired position, include the URL in your header.
Cover letter greeting
The greeting of your farm worker cover letter sets the tone for your entire document. The idea is to get the attention of the hiring manager by addressing them by name if at all possible. Research shows that people respond more positively when their name is used.
“Howdy farmer!” may sound cute, but you’re better off sticking to a formal greeting, unless, again, you know for certain that the environment on the farm is very casual.
We recommend sticking with “Dear Dr./Mr./Ms./Mx. [Last name].” Be careful with the honorific you use. It is always better to make a call to find out who to address and how than to slip up here.
Cover letter introduction
The introduction of your farm worker cover letter plants the seed of interest in your application. The best way to keep your reader’s attention is to demonstrate immediately what you will bring to the agricultural enterprise.
How do you do that?
First, describe your career. Are you an expert in sheep shearing? Do you know the perfect time to begin the harvest? Can you test the soil and recommend what nutrients it needs? How long have you been performing these tasks? Use your greatest success to illustrate.
Next, explain in a sentence or two what skills and knowledge you have that will make the farm run more smoothly or create a more positive working environment. Answering the question: “Why do you want to work here?” is another excellent way to start.
Of course, your introduction will vary depending on the type of farm you are applying to work at. It’s a good time to point out that each job is different and, therefore, each cover letter should reflect that.
The goal of the cover letter introduction: capture the attention of your reader and tell them how you will help the farm.
Dear Mr. Kallings,
As an accomplished operator of agricultural machinery, having worked as a contractor across fifteen different farms over the past seven years, I am looking for a role where I can work for one employer and use my experience to optimize their operations.
Cover letter middle part (body)
The body of your farm worker cover letter fleshes out the details of your career, describes your professional personality, and offers a broader picture of what you bring to your work. You’ve given a broad overview of your skills, but now you need to drill down and offer the specifics.
Within these three or four paragraphs, you have the space to explain your achievements and highlight another of your successes. You shouldn’t repeat the information in your resume, but if you feel that a bullet item warrants more explanation, this is the place to do it. The middle part of your letter is the place to provide evidence that proves your case for employment.
To break up the text, you may choose to create a bulleted list of three or four achievements that demonstrate your ability to do the job for which you are applying. This is another place to personalize your letter, showing that you know what skills and talents the specific farm needs.
First job cover letters
If you are looking for your first job, focus your farm worker cover letter on soft skills such as reliability and hard work. Use examples from life, after school activities, clubs, and volunteer work to demonstrate that you have what it takes.
If you are changing careers, tell your reader how the skills you have used in your previous career transfer to agricultural work.
The aim of the middle part: back up your claims of excellence and describe how you approach your work.
With a degree in mechanical engineering, I have always been the go-to person when machinery misbehaves. I have worked with tractors, backhoes, front loaders, seed drills, cultivators, plows, combines, and balers, to name but a few. The breadth of my contracting experience meant that I encountered a range of machinery in terms of complexity and age. I understand that there is a mix of equipment on your farm.
While I am at my happiest getting my hands greasy, I am a student of modern technology and enjoy exploring the use cases for vision software, drones, and all manner of robotics. I have worked with AI farming applications for the past two years and look forward to working with your team in this area.
I am familiar with all manner of crops and am always in the fields when the time comes. I designed a new irrigation system at my previous employer which increased the yield by 15%. I am adept at mixing fertilizers and managing pests with the most suitable insecticides. I have a pilot’s license and have completed over 400 hours of crop spraying.
How to close a farm worker cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
Your reader has gotten to the end of your farm worker cover letter. Congratulations! That’s a feat in and of itself. Now, you have to finish strong with a conclusion that has them reaching for the phone or email to schedule an interview.
If you have the space, add an anecdote that tells why you were attracted to farm work or mention a hobby like gardening or animal care that will serve you well as a farm employee. Then, remind your reader of your main point: why you are a great candidate for the job.
Then, write a polite reminder that you really would like an interview. Something such as, “I look forward to the opportunity to discuss my soil analysis skills and how they will help X Farms harvest more efficiently in the future.”
Finally, sign off with “Sincerely,” or “Kind regards,” and your name.
The goal of your conclusion: remind the reader of your main point and politely request an interview.
I hope to bring my skills to your fantastic team at Hill Farm and would love the opportunity of an interview to hear about your plans for the future.
Sincerely,
Doug Sanders
Basic mistakes in a farm worker application letter (and how to avoid them)
- Not personalizing your cover letter. Hiring personnel will recognize an application that you email to dozens of employers because it won’t address the specific requirements of the job.
- Getting too casual. Especially if you don’t know the culture of the farm, it is always better to err on the side of a professional tone. You can get more casual in the interview if you sense that the environment is more relaxed.
- Long-winded stories. Maybe you grew up on a farm and have a great story about the cow you raised. If you can’t explain it in two sentences or fewer, leave it out. You only have 300-400 words to make your case, so you can afford to waste a paragraph.
- Typos and grammatical errors. Maybe an employer will overlook a mistake, but why take the chance? Have someone else look over your letter before you send it to ensure that it’s error-free and makes sense.
Key takeaways
- Personalize your farm worker cover letter for each position by choosing the successes and anecdotes that your prospective employer wants.
- Keep your tone professional – especially if you are unsure of the culture.
- Even if you are entering the job market for the first time, you have valuable skills. Make sure you spell them out.
- Take advantage of professional design tools such as the one at Resume.io to ensure that your letter looks great and does not contain any formatting errors.
