Mary Sullivan
March 19, 2025
Newsletter ArticleThe global agriculture industry stands at a critical juncture, demanding heightened attention due to several pressing challenges. Rapid population growth strains existing food systems, and increasingly severe weather events threatening crop yields and disrupting established agricultural practices. Simultaneously, trade wars, geopolitical instability and supply chain vulnerabilities exacerbate food security concerns, highlighting the fragility of our interconnected world. Now more than ever, it is important to better understand the global food and agriculture industry.
For those wanting to learn more about all of these issues affecting global agriculture, Kansas State University’s Master of Agribusiness (MAB) program offers working professionals two options to gain more knowledge about the international agriculture industry.
The first is an opportunity to study abroad and gain this needed knowledge of other regions without leaving home. MAB’s Comparative Food and Agriculture Systems (AGEC 710) course is internationally taught by instructors in seven different regions and offers an in-depth view of the global food and agribusiness industry from people who have experienced it firsthand.
This award-winning course is delivered by professors from France, Russia, Brazil, New Zealand, Thailand, Uganda, and India and includes sections on the European Union, Russia and the Former Soviet Union, South America, Oceania, East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia.
“The AGEC 710 course was particularly helpful to me because of the diversity of people in our organization here in the Houston office and the increasing complexity of our global sourcing
too. In a broader sense, the MAB program has increased the quality of all of my work products, including broader and deeper analysis sections in the reports I prepare for senior management.
The AGEC 710 course was absolutely pivotal in lifting my writing skills,” Randy Hobert, MAB alum and Director Sales, in Houston, TX said.
Each professor provides lectures, readings, and an assignment for his/her module. Live weekly class sessions are led by international professors where students are able to ask questions and interact directly with faculty around the globe. The opportunity to question the instructors creates an interactive and engaging learning environment as well as establishes international connections.
The course begins in mid-April, and enrollment opens soon. You do not have to be enrolled in the Master of Agribusiness program to participate in this international course. The graduate-level, three-credit-hour course is open to anyone with a bachelor’s degree and an interest in the food and agriculture industry. For more information about the course, go to https://mab.k-state.edu/ourprogram/electives.html. If you are interested in enrolling, please email mab@ksu.edu or call 785-532-4495.
In addition to the Comparative Food and Agricultural Systems course, the MAB offers international farm and agribusiness tours for those interested in getting boots on the ground in different regions. The MAB program has led organized agribusiness tours to South America, Russia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the European Union, and the United Kingdom. These trips include visits to crop and livestock operations, agribusinesses, and agricultural and food-related companies to gain a better understanding of industry in those regions. Not only is it a good way to learn about agriculture in different regions, but the trips also offer the chance to mingle with fellow ag enthusiasts with various industry backgrounds, along with expanding networking opportunities globally.
“The MAB farm and agriculture tour of Brazil was a once in a life-time opportunity! It was a privilege and an honor to represent Kansas State University and American agriculture in South America. We collaborated to learn more about Brazilian production practices, while Brazilian agriculturalists asked about our production practices. The trip was well worth the time and investment in my education,” said Andrew Lauver, MAB alum and Director of Conservation Programs with Farm Journal, said.
The international trips are open to anyone interested in learning about agriculture in the areas visited. The 2026 trip will be to Spain and Portugal. If you are interested in our farm and agriculture tours, please email Mary Sullivan at mjbowen@ksu.edu.
