A farmer plants crops and raises animals. They harvest and sell their goods to produce markets and food companies both nationally and internationally. Farming is a precarious industry because it's influenced by the weather and disease and subject to price vacillations. Farmers typically work long days, and some of the work can be physically strenuous. These professionals work outdoors with their hands in most kinds of weather, and about three-quarters were self-employed in 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).