Career Guide US 2019

11 / 44

by Tiffany Tomlin, Marketing Intern
AGRICULTURE has come a long way
from the horse-drawn plows of our
ancestors. The average farmer in the
1900s would be lucky to feed more than
a family of five with their outputs, and
many crops had a hard time withstanding
the strains of the environment like
unpredictable weather and insects.
Today, agriculture is more productive
than ever before. The combination of
advancements in technology along with
pesticides and medication to keep plants
and livestock healthy means that there is
more being produced with far less inputs.
The future is bright, but there are still
challenges ahead. With eminent
population growth and the strains of
climate change, producing enough food
is no easy feat.
Considering the increase in
production that is still needed, more
advancements in technology is in our
near future. With it, comes an opening
of agriculture-related jobs. A career in
agriculture presents a wide array of
opportunities in an always growing
industry.
WHY WORK IN AGRICULTURE
Importance:
We’ve all heard the stats: with 9
billion people predicted by the year 2050,
agriculture is more important than ever.
Even with food production at an
all-time high, the FAO still estimates that
around 815 million people are suffering
from chronic hunger. This number is
only expected to rise with the growing
population.
Sufficiently fighting the global hunger
problem will require an increase of
production up to 70%. It is a task
accomplished before, but to produce
11 Ag & Food CAreer guide
Agriculture
WHY
that much more food in an industry that
is already setting records will need all
hands on deck. If nothing else, a career
in agriculture means you are doing your
part. Despite what sector you find
yourself in, you will be at the forefront
of the fight against hunger, making
agriculture a rewarding career as much
as it is practical.
Wide Variety of Options:
If working directly with plants or livestock
is not for you, maybe communicating
with people is more your style. Or, maybe
your skills lie within a science lab, or with
moving mechanical parts. Whatever your
passion is, there’s a role in the agriculture
industry for you.
The United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) reports that 11% of
total U.S. employment is attributed to
agriculture. That figure represents a
lot of different career types to explore
and the best part is, it’s inclusive to
everyone, whether you have a college
degree or not.
Careers in agriculture are different
from the stereotypes. Consider all the
people it takes to run a flour mill, or
the innovative minds needed to create
the next groundbreaking animal health
product. Both these areas require
workers of different skill sets. The reach
of agriculture stretches beyond farming
and ranching and can range all the
way to a CEO position at a major food
production company. You can find a
good fit within the industry, even if your
role is not directly related to production
agriculture.
Job Outlook:
Along with the variety of career
opportunities, the number of
love your job
YOU WILL
WHILE
BENEFITING THE
WORLD’S LEADING
INDUSTRY.
>>>