1. Agricultural Careers Presented by: Marie O. Bolt
Anderson V Career Campus
Agricultural Instructor

2. Agricultural Workforce
Approximately 22 Million People are Employed in an Agricultural Career
20% Of Agricultural Careers 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

3. Yearly Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Agriscience9% 7%
13% 7%
29%
34%
34% - Marketing, Merchandising, & Sales Representatives
29% - Scientists, Engineers, & Related Professionals
13% - Managers & Financial Specialists
7% - Agricultural Production Specialists
9% - Social Services Professionals
7% - Education & Communication Specialists

4. 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 155 people

5. Types of Agricultural Production Jobs
Cattle Rancher
Diversified Crop Farmer
Diversified Livestock Producer
Farm Manager

6. 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:
$0 - $ unlimited (income varies greatly upon quantity of cattle and extent of operation

7. 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:
$0 - $ depends on crop

8. Diversified Livestock Producer
Diversified livestock producers breed and raise livestock of various types.
Salary: $0 - $ Unlimited

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

10. 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
Perform any necessary farm task (work)
Salary:
$15,000 – $ Unlimited, depends on size and varies greatly from year to year

11. Communication and Education Specialist Careers
Agriculture Teacher
Agricultural Extension Specialist
Agricultural Journalist
Agricultural Lawyer

12. 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 - $ 65,000

13. Agricultural Extension Specialist
Organize and conduct cooperative extension program to advise and instruct farmers and individuals engaged in agribusiness applications of agricultural research findings.
Salary: $22,000 - $60,000
Skill Necessary:
Strong interest in helping others
Excellent communication skills

14. Agricultural Lawyer
Focus on the law as it applies to the Agricultural Industry
Necessary Skills:
Proficiency in writing, speaking, reading, researching, and analyzing
Able to think on your feet
Good reasoning ability
Salary:
$40,000 - $ Unlimited

15. Managers and Financial Specialist
Agricultural Consultant
Agricultural Economist

16. Agricultural Consultant
Audits and appraises agricultural business and makes suggestions on improvements
Salary: $26,000 - $ Unlimited
Education Requirements:
Bachelor’s degree in agricultural business or agricultural education

17. Agricultural Economist
Studies data and statistics in order to spot trends in economic activity, economic confidence levels and consumer attitudes
Salary: $40,000 - $100,000
Skills Necessary:
Accuracy
Good Communication Skills
Ability to Work Independently

18. Marketing, Merchandising, & Sales Representatives
Agricultural Chemical Dealer
Animal Health Products Representatives
Agricultural Equipment Dealer

19. 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 - $75,000
Education Requirements:
College degree helpful but not required
Sales experience needed
Knowledge of Chemical regulations
Pesticide License

20. Animal Health’s Products Representatives
Develops sales and marketing strategies for selling animal health products
Salary: $ 22,000 – $100,000
Necessary Skills:
Communicating effectively
Enjoy Traveling
Goal Oriented
Problem Solving

21. Scientists, Engineers and Related Specialists
Animal Scientist
Agricultural Construction Engineer
Animal Breeder
Artificial Breeding Technician

22. Animal Scientist Research and Development
Medicine
Animal Medicine, Dewormers, etc
Human replacement parts (heart valve, etc)
Uses of animal by-products
Salary: $25,000 to $ Unlimited
Education Required: Bachelor of Science

23. Agricultural Construction Engineer
Designs and contracts agricultural structures such as mills, fertilizer plants, barns, etc.
Salary: $26,000 - $ Unlimited
Education Required:
Master’s degree preferred in agriculture engineering.

24. Animal Breeder
Breed and raise animals to improve traits, to develop new breeds, or to maintain standards of existing breeds
Salary: $18,000 - $ Unlimited
Necessary Skills:
Organized
Reliable and be able to follow detailed instructions

25. 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

26. Social Service Professionals
Foreign Affairs Officials
Food and Drug Inspector
Foreign Food/Farming Training

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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)

36. Where to Obtain Agriculture Career Information?
Look for the Career Center under the Site Index.

37. If agriculture is in your future ……
It is never to early to plan for your personal career success.