Nation sees growing need for agriculture experts
As the farming industry faces growing consolidation in the U.S., one might get the impression that fewer jobs are now available in agriculture. In fact, just the opposite is true. Today, one in three people worldwide — that’s more than a billion employees — work in an agriculture-related industry.
Industry growth and digital innovation are driving significant demand for college graduates and other professionals, including those without experience in typical agriculture-related subjects, and many positions feature excellent salaries. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Purdue University predict that 57,900 jobs requiring agriculture skills will become available each year between now and 2020, yet only 35,000 grads in food, agriculture, renewable resources or environment studies will look to fill those jobs each year. Further, the average starting salary in the U.S. for those graduating with bachelor’s degrees in agriculture or natural resources was a healthy $54,364 as of winter 2017, a 12 percent increase from 2016.
“People are starting to discover [agriculture] is a pretty good industry to be in,” said Mike Gaul, career services director for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University in Ames. “It’s incredibly diverse.”
Grads with expertise in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and/or the environment are expected to fill 61 percent of all agriculture-related openings, while employers must seek grads with other majors to fill the gap. Notably, women already make up more than half of the higher-ed grads in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and environmental studies.
High school grads considering degrees in agriculture might consider one of these highest-paying agriculture occupations:
➤ C-suite executives
The CEOs, COOs and CFOs at agriculture startups or established corporations routinely earn $200,000-plus for overseeing company growth and profitability. A bachelor’s or master’s degree is generally needed, in addition to a background in leadership and at least five years of industry experience.
➤ Agriculture lawyers
Because agriculture is so highly regulated, such professionals may handle issues related to water, land use, pesticides, seeds, the environment, labor/human resources, immigration, commerce, intellectual property, mergers/acquisitions, etc. Salaries average out at $160,000. Required: a bachelor’s degree, followed by a juris doctor degree and a completed state bar exam.
➤ Agriculture sales managers
Those skilled in overseeing sales teams are earning an average $125,000-plus annually. Most hold bachelor’s degrees in agronomy, crop science, soil science, biology, agricultural business or a related field.
➤ Agriculture scientists
Salaries average out at $120,000. A bachelor’s degree is usually sufficient, with in-demand specialties, including bioinformatics, animal genetics or the regulatory environment (managing and strategizing a product through the regulatory process).
➤ Agriculture engineers
Among specialties in demand are environmental, ethanol and mechanical engineers, with average salaries running upward of $80,000 for those holding bachelor’s degrees.
The next generation of agriculture specialists will be crucial to help solve the world’s most pressing issues. Agricultural company Syngenta is supporting that cause by bestowing multiple college scholarships to agriculture students each year and, of course, hiring many grads in various majors.
“This is an exciting time in agriculture because we have new tools to develop better seeds and crop-protection products, as well as digital solutions to help farmers be more productive,” said Ian Jepson, head of trait research and developmental biology at Syngenta. “We encourage students to think about the wide range of challenging and rewarding careers in companies like ours to help develop and deliver what farmers need to feed the world.”
— Courtesy of Brandpoint