A prospective professional agriculturist is typically required to have a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture, although other degree programs directly related to agriculture are also allowed to take the licensure examination if they earn at least eighteen (18) units of agriculture credits from a recognized higher education institution.[15] About 5,500 registered agriculturists pass the licensure examination annually.[16] It is one of the hardest licensure examinations in the country with 29.84% passing rate in November 2021.[17][18]

The agriculturist profession and its board of agriculturists were created in 2002 by the Professional Regulation Commission,[15] in order to "upgrade the agriculture and fisheries profession"[19] by the virtue of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997.The practice of the agriculture profession is a professional service admission.Similar to other professions in the Philippines, malpractice and illegal practice of agriculture are grounds for suspension or revocation of certificates of registration and professional licenses.