Information on Agriculture-Related Careers
The United States is home to approximately 1 million farms, raking in and toiling for around $140 billion per year, according to the First Research industry profiling organization. Although those farms employ millions of workers in the agriculture industry, agriculture spans further than just farms. Across the country, and the world, the agriculture industry has ties to careers in computers, technology, medicine and science, employing trained professionals whose tasks include monitoring food safety and tracking crop growth to ensure supply for the increasing world's population.
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Significance
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The agriculture industry provides 22 million jobs in America alone, according to Texas State Technical College and the American Farm Bureau. People in those agriculture careers work not just in the United States but around the world, trying to help the growth of natural resources as the world's population continues to explode (up 3.5 billion in 100 years). People interested in getting into agriculture will find a less-crowded field than some other industries; a significant bulk of those holding agricultural careers will soon be retiring, leaving many positions open.
Types
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According to the North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension Program, only 10 percent of agriculture careers actually revolve around growing plants and livestock. Other options reach into the scientific and technical fields, with career options such as biosystems engineer, landscape architect, rural sociologist, toxicologist, water quality specialist, geneticist, agricultural economist and plant scientist.
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Preparation
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Because the field of agriculture is so vast, education and preparation for each career field will vary. Many colleges across the country offer degrees in agriculture, such as Oregon State University's Bachelor of Science in General Agriculture program. The four-year program includes classes in farm and ranch appraisal, wetlands and riparian ecology, global crises in resource ecology, integrated watershed management, feedstuffs and ratio formulation, principles of animal nutrition and natural resources decision-making.
Considerations
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Although it might seem as if agricultural careers are limited by their proximity to large rural areas, the actuality is that even the most urban and high-trafficked areas provide the opportunity to work with agriculture. Food, plants and water are everywhere, so selecting a position in agriculture will depend more on the person's interests than location. Earnings from agriculture jobs vary widely, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting workers in the forestry and fishing areas of agriculture earning approximately $23,868 in 2008 and food scientists and technologists earning approximately $59,520. The Bureau also reports that in 2009, animal scientists earned approximately $104,184, with a starting salary of $33,732 per year.
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References
- First Research: Agriculture Crop Production Industry Profile
- Texas State Technical College: Agriculture Careers
- North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension Program: Careers in Agriculture
- Oregon State University: BS General Agriculture -- Careers
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Agriculture
- Photo Credit The Farm image by bonjo from Fotolia.com
