Agricultural Careers

Presented by:

Mrs. White

Lee-Davis High School

Agricultural Instructor

Agricultural Workforce• Approximately 21 Million People are

Employed in an Agricultural Career• 20% Of Agricultural Career Require a

College Education• 400Thousand people are needed each year

to fill positions in the Agriculture Industry• Only 100 Thousand jobs are being filled

each year by trained people

Yearly Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Agriscience

34% 29%

7% 9% 7% 13%

34% - Marketing, Merchandising, & Sales Representatives29% - Scientists, Engineers, & Related Professionals13% - Managers & Financial Specialists7% - Agricultural Production Specialists9% - Social Services Professionals7% - Education & Communication Specialists

Production Agriculture

• 1/5 of All Agricultural Careers• Production Agriculture is defined as

Farming and Ranching.• It involves the growing and marketing of

field crops and livestock• U.S. Farmers produce enough food and

fiber to feed 135 people, large farm operations can feed over 200 people.

Types of Agricultural Production Jobs

• Cattle Rancher

• Diversified Crop Farmer

• Diversified Livestock Producer

• Farm Manager

Cattle Rancher

Selects, purchases, and raises cattle on leased or owned land for purpose of selling offspring

Knowledge Requirements:Cattle industry including cattle prices, quality and

markets. Nutrition, reproduction, and animal health are also important areas.

Salary:$15,000 - $150,000 to unlimited (income varies

greatly upon quantity of cattle and extent of operation.

Diversified Crop Farmer

• Crop Farming workers plant, cultivate and harvest crops of fruits, fiber, grains, or vegetables.

• May raise one specialty crop or diversified crops, they often produce several different types of crops simultaneously

• Salary:– $15,000 - $90,000 depends on crop

Diversified Livestock Producer

• Diversified livestock producers breed and raise livestock of various types.

• Skills Necessary:– Organized– Computer skills and basic business knowledge– Willing to work independently– Enjoy working outside in all kinds of weather

• Salary: $20,000 - $35,000

Farm Manager• Organize and Analyze farm resources, finances,

and problems• Develop solutions and plans for future farm

enterprises• Make daily farming decisions related to crops,

machinery and labor• Salary:

– $15,000 – $38,000 depends on size and varies greatly from year to year

Communication and Education Specialist Careers

• Agriculture Teacher

• Agricultural Extension Specialist

• Agricultural Journalist

• Agricultural Lawyer

Agriculture Teacher

• Develop program, curriculum and activities related to agriculture for youth adults and graduates

• Job Availability: Steady• Working Conditions: Indoors in classroom,

outdoors with experiments and hands-on activities

• Salary: $ 20,000 - $ 52, 000

Agricultural Extension Specialist

• Organize and conducts cooperative extension program to advise and instruct farmers and individuals engaged in agribusiness applications of agricultural research findings.

• Salary: $22,000 - $40,000

• Skill Necessary: – Strong interest in helping others– Excellent communication skills

Agricultural Lawyer

• Focus on the law as it applies to the Agricultural Industry

• Necessary Skills:– Proficiency in writing and speaking, reading,

researching, and analyzing– Able to think on your feet– Good reasoning ability

• Salary:– $40,000 - $120,000

Managers and Financial Specialist

• Agricultural Consultant

• Agricultural Economist

Agricultural Consultant

• Audits and appraises agricultural business and makes suggestions on improvements

• Salary: $26,000 - $52,000

• Education Requirements:– Bachelor’s degree in agricultural business or

agricultural education

Agricultural Economist

• Studies data and statistics in order to spot trends in economic activity, economic confidence levels and consumer attitudes

• Salary: $40,000 - $62,000• Skills Necessary:

– Accuracy– Good Communication Skills– Ability to Work Independently

Marketing, Merchandising, & Sales Representatives

• Agricultural Chemical Dealer

• Animal Health's Products Representatives

• Agricultural Equipment Dealer

Agricultural Chemical Dealer

• Serves the farming community by providing chemicals used in farm situations.

• Knowledge of chemical uses warning and disposal methods is necessary

• Salary: $ 21,000 - $58,000• Education Requirements:

– College degree helpful but not required– Sales experience needed– Knowledge of Chemical regulations – Pesticide License

Animal Health’s Products Representatives

• Develops sales and marketing strategies for selling animal health products

• Salary: $ 22,000 – 62,000• Necessary Skills:

– Communicating effectively– Enjoy Traveling– Goal Oriented– Problem Solving

Scientists, Engineers and Related Specialists

• Agricultural Construction Engineer

• Animal Breeder

• Artificial Breeding Technician

Agricultural Construction Engineer

• Designs and contracts agricultural structures such as mills, fertilizer plants, barns, etc.

• Salary: $26,000 - $65,000

• Education Required:– Master’s degree preferred in agriculture

engineering.

Animal Breeder

• Breed and raise animals to improve traits, to develop new breeds, or to maintain standards of existing breeds

• Salary: $18,000 - $55,000• Necessary Skills:

– Organized– Reliable and be able to follow detailed

instructions

Artificial Breeding Technician

• Assists in collecting and maintaining semen, identifying appropriate times to inseminate (deposits sperm) female and the actual insemination process

• Salary: $23,000 - $36,000

• Education Requirements:– Technical school or a college degree– Specialized training in artificial insemination

techniques

Social Service Professionals

• Foreign Affairs Officials

• Food and Drug Inspector

Foreign Affairs Officials

• Foreign affairs officials assist in planning and implementing foreign affairs program which secure the interests of the country while promoting agriculture

• Salary: $28,000 - $75,000• Working Conditions:

– Travel frequently and work out of an office building

Food and Drug Inspector

• Food and Drug inspector impose federal and state grading standards on food and drug products for the purpose of ensuring consumer safety and fair pricing

• Salary: $25,000 - $65,000• Necessary Skills:

– Like detailed work– Responsible– Good oral and written communication

Agricultural Equipment Dealer

• Farm equipment dealer sell and service farm machinery and equipment

• Salary: $28,000 - $75,000

• Education Requirements:– Bachelor’s degree with emphasis on agriculture

and business.– High School courses in agriculture, business

and mechanics

Agricultural Journalist

• Gather, write, edit and report news articles that are published in agricultural magazines, newspapers, journals or broadcast on radio or television.

• Salary: $20,000 - $55,000• Education Required:

– Bachelor’s Degree in journalism, communications, English or political science. High School classes in agriculture, journalism, media, computers, and business

How to Start Planning for an Agricultural Career?

• Develop an Agricultural Career Portfolio– A collection of your best work on

agricultural projects and other career-related materials

– The portfolio is used to sell your skills to a prospective employers

What to include in your Portfolio?

• Resume

• Photographs and written reports of projects that you have complete

• Newspaper clippings

• Letters of Recommendation

• Personal and Career Goals

• Action Plan for accomplishing your goals

How you can start planning at different levels?

• Middle School Career Plan:– Develop science projects with plants, animals,

soil, water, energy, ecology, conservation, and wildlife

– Join 4-H and choose agricultural projects– Volunteer to work on lawn, garden,

greenhouses, farm or conservation projects– Enroll in agriculture or other career education

projects at school

• High School• Enroll in agriculture classes including plant science,

animal science, agricultural mechanics, agribusiness and farm management

• Enroll in college – preparatory courses in English, math and science

• Join 4-H and FFA organization and participate in leadership and citizenship activities

• Develop a broad, supervised agricultural experience project

• Acquire hands-on, skill-development experience• Conduct agricultural research project

• Career Plan After High School• Obtain an agricultural job and plan ways to get

additional training while on the job• Enter a community college and take courses that

will transfer to the college of agriculture or life science of your choice

• Enter a two-year program in technical agriculture• Enter a college of agriculture or life science and

obtain a bachelor degree (B.S.), master degree (M.S.), and/ or doctorate (Ph.D)

Where to Obtain Agriculture Career Information?

www.ffa.org• Look for the Career Center under the Site

Index.

If agriculture is in your future ……

It is never to early to plan for your personal career success.