Green Jobs and Agriculture

Green Jobs and Green Jobs and AgricultureAgriculture

Green Today, Jobs Tomorrow Conference

May 11, 2009

James Johnson, DirectorEnvironmental Stewardship Division Michigan Department of Agriculture

Agriculture:Agriculture:The Original Green JobsThe Original Green Jobs

Movement from Movement from hunter-gatherers to hunter-gatherers to farmersfarmers

Approximately 10,000 -Approximately 10,000 -12,000 years ago12,000 years ago

Involved cultivation of Involved cultivation of wild grains and wild grains and domestication of domestication of animalsanimals

ProductionProduction Feed the family… Feed the family…

feed the tribefeed the tribe

Feed the Feed the community… feed community… feed the worldthe world

Work/Work/Responsibility ShiftResponsibility Shift

Mechanization - InputsMechanization - Inputs

Environmental ImpactsEnvironmental Impacts

Work Toward Work Toward SustainabilitySustainability

Michigan Department of Michigan Department of AgricultureAgriculture

Conservation and Environmental Conservation and Environmental OrganizationsOrganizations

Michigan State University Michigan State University ExtensionExtension

USDA NRCS (Soil Conservation USDA NRCS (Soil Conservation Services)Services)

State’s Conservation DistrictsState’s Conservation Districts Private ConsultantsPrivate Consultants

Farm JobsFarm Jobs Animal CareAnimal Care Animal NutritionAnimal Nutrition Nutrient ManagementNutrient Management Agronomy/HorticultureAgronomy/Horticulture Global Positioning SystemsGlobal Positioning Systems VeterinariansVeterinarians Public RelationsPublic Relations

MDA/Government JobsMDA/Government Jobs Food ScienceFood Science Dairy ScienceDairy Science BiologistsBiologists EcologistsEcologists HydrologistsHydrologists

Soil ScientistsSoil Scientists AgronomistsAgronomists Animal ScienceAnimal Science EngineersEngineers

ProgramsPrograms Conservation Districts – Conservation Districts –

Forestry Assistance Program Forestry Assistance Program (degreed forester)(degreed forester)

Nature Centers – Nature Centers – Interpreters/Educators/LaborerInterpreters/Educators/Laborerss

Irrigation Water Management – Irrigation Water Management – System Evaluation/SchedulingSystem Evaluation/Scheduling

Pesticide and Plant Pest Pesticide and Plant Pest Management DivisionManagement Division

Pesticide SectionPesticide Section

Pesticide and Plant Pest Pesticide and Plant Pest Management DivisionManagement Division

Plant Industry Section

Animal Industry DivisionAnimal Industry Division

Food & Dairy DivisionFood & Dairy DivisionFood SectionFood Section

Food & Dairy DivisionFood & Dairy DivisionDairy SectionDairy Section

Trends – Future Jobs