Agriculture Career Opportunities

Agronomy
Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, fiber. and land reclamation. Agronomists specialize in how to properly care for farmland and develop crops more resilient against the natural elements like insect infestations, and the unpredictable effects of climate all while preserving or improving the environment. They can specialize in crop rotation, irrigation and drainage, plant breeding, plant physiology, soil classification, soil fertility, weed control, and insect / pest control.

Agronomy opportunities often include:

• Crop Specialists
• Soil Scientists / Conversationalists
• Agriculture Scientists
• Plant Breeders / Geneticists
• Botanists / Horticulture Scientists
• Biochemists
• Agroecologists
• Soil Surveyors / Conservationists
• Farm Supply Representatives

Agriculture ScientistDid You Know?
An Agriculture Scientist develops ways to get the highest quality and quantity of agricultural products while having the least negative impact on the environment.

Food Sciences
It is one thing to grow crops and have livestock on a ranch, but it is another thing to turn those resources into food. Food Scientists improve food products for public consumption through researching the nature of foods and the causes of deterioration, as well as experimenting with combinations of raw ingredients and food processing techniques.

Food Science opportunities often include:

• Food Product Research and Development
• Quality Assurance / Quality Control
• Food Chemists and Microbiologists
• Food Manufacturers
• Bioinformatics Scientists
• Surveyors / Sensory Analysts
• Molecular Gastronomy
• Food Processing and Packaging

Food ScientistsDid You Know?
Food Scientists are responsible for creating the nutritional information on the back of our packaged food products.

Agriculture JobsDid You Know?
In the United States alone, there are over 50,000 jobs in agriculture and over 22 million Americans are involved in Agriculture related industries.

Agribusiness Management
Agribusiness is the business of agricultural production and includes

• agrochemicals
• breeding
• crop production (farming)
• distribution
• farm machinery
• processing
• seed supply
• marketing and retail sales.

Agribusiness Management opportunities often include:

• Owners/Managers of Farms or Ranches
• Businesses that support Farms / Ranches
• Agricultural Operations Managers
• Food Packers and Packagers
• Seed and Agrochemical Producers
• Heavy-Load/Tractor-Trailer Drivers
• Greenhouse Operators
• Beekeepers

BeekeepersDid You Know?
Commercial Beekeepers maintain beehives for proving polination services to fruit and crop farmers.

Agriculture Communications
Most everyone knows what an avocado and lemon are, but what makes a Haas different from a Quintal or a Meyer from a Eureka, and which is better? How do farmers and consumers find out what is trending in the Agriculture Industry? Through agriculture communications.

An Agricultural communicator has a specialized level of knowledge in the complex enterprises of food, feed, fiber, renewable energy, natural resources manarement, and rural development (to name a few)

AR Communications opportunities often include:

• Print/Broadcast Journalists
• Market/Farm news reporters
• Agriculture Magazine and Newspaper Staff/Writers
• Press Spokespeople
• Public Relations Representatives
• Advertising Specialists
• Marketing Executives
• Marketing Communications Managers
• Sales/Account Managers

Agriculture DegreesDid You Know?
Most state collates opportunities and universities offer opportunities for undergraduate and graduate degrees within agriculture. Even if the school does not appear to offer specific degrees in agriculture, pursuing an advanced degree in science, business, or journalism could help you take coursework that would provide the same basic background required for a career in agriculture.

Soil/Crop ScientistsDid You Know?

• Soil Scientists study the physical and chemical properties of soil to help farmers develop planting strategies
• Crop scientists (similar to Soil Scientists) focus on crop yield and production

Agricultural Education
We need to have instructors and education specialists within the agriculture field that teach about agriculture, natural resources, and land management. To train and prepare our future agriculture educators and workers. Typical classes taught by AG educators include:

• Horticulture
• Land Management
• Turf Grass Management
• Agricultural Sciences
• Small Animal Care
• Machine and Shop Classes
• Health and nutrition
• Livestock Management
• Biology

AG Education opportunities often include:

• College/University Instructors
• Education Specialists in:
  • Forestry
  • Horticulture
  • Animal Science
  • Agricultural Mechanics
  • Other Similar Specialties
• Education Supervision
• Farm Managers
• Agricultural Inspectors
• Soil Conservationists

Agricultural InspectorDid You Know?
An Agricultural Inspector works for the state or federal government to enforce laws and regulations pertaining to agricultural establishments. They perform tasks like collecting samples from plants, animals, and products and explaining regulations to agricultural workers and business owners.

One HealthDid You Know?
DID YOU KNOW The US Department of Agriculture's One Health approach is the collaborative effort of the human health, veterinary health, and environmental health communities to achieve optimal health outcomes for both animals and people. Alter all, the health of animals, people, and tha environment are connected.

Agriculture Economics
Agriculture economics began as a branch of economics specifically dealing with land usage and focusing on maximizing crop yield while maintaining a good soil ecosystem. The scope has expanded so much that someone working in agriculture economy in the 20th century may deal with everything from

• Managing Pests
• Preventing Livestock Disease
• Determining land prices
• Improving Land Management
• Preventing Corrosion
• Predicting what Crops to Grow.

AG Economics opportunities often include

• Grain Brokers
• Farm and Land Appraisers
• Resource Economist Consultant
• Agriculture Policy Analyst
• Insurance Agents
• Food Distribution Managers
• Agricultural Lenders

AgroecologyDid You Know?
Agroecology is closely associated with work in the areas of sustainable agriculture, organic farming, and alternative food/cropping systems.

Agricultural Engineering
Crops and Farming are heavily dependent on machinery, buildings, water lines, and waste management. We rely on the expert knowledge of agricultural engineers to design and safety test machinery to keep our farm workers and our food supply safe, all while working toward the goal of improving tho efficiency and sustainability of agricultural practices.

AG Engineering opportunities often include

• Structural Engineers
• Irrigation Engineers
• Sanitary/Waste Handlers
• Food Engineers
• Bioprocessing/Bioresource Engineers
• Machine Design Engineers
• Environmental Engineers
• Soil Management & Land Conservationists
• Water Quality Specialists

Environmental EngineersDid You Know?
Environmental Engineers help farm owners and the environment by combining principles from different science fields to create systems that aim to prevent future damages like soil erosion, deforestation, and pollution.

Horti and AgriDid You Know?
Horticulture and Agriculture are related fields. The Latin roots "horti" and "agri" mean garden, and land, respectively. Horticulture is much more than just a fancy word for gardening. Horticulturists focus their skills and experience on growing and selling fruits, vegetables, flowers, and decorative plants.

Animal Sciences
If you have a passion for livestock like pigs, cattle, sheep, poultry, or horses, then a career in animal sciences (animal husbandry) is perfect for you. Animal scientists work to improve breeding practices and prevent disease. They also collaborate with food scientists to develop better, more efficient ways af producing, processing, and preserving meat, poultry, eggs and milk products.

Animal Science opportunities often include

• Livestock Production Management
• Livestock Procurement & Insurance Reps
• Veterinarians
• Farm/Stable Managers
• Ranch/Farm Workers and Laborers
• Animal Scientists/Geneticists
• Animal Breeders

animal geneticistsDid You Know?
By studying the genetic makeup of animals, animal geneticists can crossbread different species to create a new bread (or hybrid) of animals that are much more resilient since they are a combination of the most desirable characteristics found in the species they were made from. This may help prevent genetic disorders and increase endangered animals' chance for survival.