Agricultural Careers

1. Agricultural Careers Adapted from: Source: GlenRoseArkansasFFA.org Author: Mrs. White, Lee-Davis High School Agricultural Instructor

2. Agricultural Workforce • Approximately 21 Million People are Employed in an Agricultural Career • 20% Of Agricultural Careers Require a College Education • Less than 2% actually farm • 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 Agriscience 9% 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 • Less than 10% 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.

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

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: $15,000 - $150,000 to 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: • $15,000 - $90,000 – unlimited - depends on crop

8. 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 - unlimited

9. 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 - $100,000 plus • depends on size and varies greatly from year to year

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

11. Louisiana Agriscience Teacher • Develop program, curriculum and activities related to agriculture • Job Availability: Steady • Working Conditions: Indoors in classroom, outdoors with experiments and hands-on activities • Salary: $ 38,000 - $ 75, 000 • Some agriscience teachers farm or operate other businesses to produce additional income

12. Agricultural Extension Specialist • Organize and conducts cooperative extension program to advise and instruct youth, farmers and individuals engaged in agribusiness applications of agricultural research findings. • Salary: $35,000 - $65,000 • Some extension agents farm or operate other businesses to produce additional income • Skill Necessary: • Strong interest in helping others • Excellent communication skills

13. 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

14. Managers and Financial Specialist • Agricultural Consultant • Agricultural Economist

15. Agricultural Consultant • Audits and appraises agricultural business and makes suggestions on improvements • Salary: $26,000 - $52,000 or more • Education Requirements: • Bachelor’s degree in agricultural business or agricultural education

16. 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 or more • Skills Necessary: • Accuracy • Good Communication Skills • Ability to Work Independently

17. Marketing, Merchandising, & Sales Representatives • Agricultural Chemical Dealer • Animal Health's Products Representatives • Agricultural Equipment Dealer

18. 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: $ 30,000 - $58,000 or more • Education Requirements: • College degree helpful but not required • Sales experience needed • Knowledge of Chemical regulations • Pesticide License

19. Animal Health 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

20. Scientists, Engineers and Related Specialists • Agricultural Construction Engineer • Animal Breeder • Artificial Breeding Technician

21. Agricultural Construction Engineer • Designs and contracts agricultural structures such as mills, fertilizer plants, barns, etc. • Salary: $35,000 - $65,000 or more • Education Required: • Master’s degree preferred in agriculture engineering.

22. 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 or more • Necessary Skills: • Organized • Reliable and be able to follow detailed instructions

23. Artificial Breeding Technician • Assists in collecting and maintaining semen, identifying appropriate times to inseminate (deposits sperm) female and the actual insemination process • Salary: $30,000 - $55,000 or more • Education Requirements: • Technical school or a college degree • Specialized training in artificial insemination techniques

24. Other Professionals • Foreign Affairs Officials • Food and Drug Inspector

25. 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 - $100,000 or more • Working Conditions: • Travel frequently and work out of an office building

26. 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: $35,000 - $65,000 or more • Necessary Skills: • Like detailed work • Responsible • Good oral and written communication

27. Agricultural Equipment Dealer or mechanic

28. Agricultural Equipment Dealer • Farm equipment dealer sell and service farm machinery and equipment • Salary: $28,000 - $75,000 or more • Education Requirements: • Bachelor’s degree with emphasis on agriculture and business. • High School courses in agriculture, business and mechanics

29. 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

30. How to Start Planning for an Agricultural Career? • Develop an Agricultural Career Biography: • This will be a research paper using one of the Agriculture Careers we have covered during our lessons.

31. What to include in your Paper: • - History of Career • - Job Duties • - Working conditions • - Salary • - Education requirements • - Knowledge requirements At least one page long, typed.

32. Instructions • 1st page- Cover Sheet. Full name, Date, Block #, Title of Career. 10 points in total. • 2nd page- Typed in font 12. Include career history, job duties, working conditions, salary information, education, and knowledge requirements. Each component listed above is worth 15 points each. • 3rd page- Reference page. List all information sources which were used. Mandatory page, Reference page absence will result in a 0F.

33. Career Plan After High School • Obtain an agricultural job and plan ways to get additional training while on the job • Enter college or enter a community college and take courses that will transfer to a college of agriculture 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)

34. Where to Obtain Agriculture Career Information? www.ffa.org • Look for the Career Center under the Site Index.

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