Intro to Agriculture

Eight Major Career Areas

•Production Agriculture

•Agriculture Mechanics

•Agriculture Sales & Service

•Agriculture Processing

•Forestry

•Rural Recreation & Natural Resources

•Agriculture Marketing & Business Management

•Horticulture

What makes Georgia Agriculture unique?

When you look outside of the traditional role of agriculture (farming),you will find that Georgia Agriculture impacts our daily activities in a large way thru:

EconomicsCareersEnvironmentTechnologyScience

Economics

Agriculture is the #1 industry in the state of Georgia.The total annual contribution to our state’s economy is $57 billion.About 16% of the state’s total economic output is from agriculture.What is the largest crop in Catoosa county?.

Careers

One in six Georgians works in agriculture,forestry,or an ag related field.Almost half of the state’s manufacturing jobs are in agribusiness.Farm and Forestry production sectors represent over 85,000jobs and contributes $7 billon in output.

Careers Continued

Food Service industry is responsible for 212,000 jobs and $6.1 billon of output.Food and fiber processing sector provides 170,000 jobs for Georgians and contributes $31 billion of economic output.THE BOTTOM LINE IS AGRICULTURE IS $$$$$ TO GEORGIA !

Agricultural Careers

Agricultural WorkforceApproximately 21 Million People are Employed in an Agricultural Career20% Of Agricultural Careers Require a College Education400 thousand people are needed each year to fill positions in the Agriculture IndustryOnly 100 thousand jobs are being filled each year by trained people

Yearly Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Agriscience

34% 29%

7% 9% 7% 13%

34% - Marketing, Merchandising, & Sales Representatives29% - Scientists, Engineers, & Related Professionals13% - Managers & Financial Specialists7% - Agricultural Production Specialists9% - Social Services Professionals7% - Education & Communication Specialists

Eight Major Career Areas

•Production Agriculture

•Agriculture Mechanics

•Agriculture Sales & Service

•Agriculture Processing

•Forestry

•Rural Recreation & Natural Resources

•Agriculture Marketing & Business Management

•Horticulture

Production Agriculture 1/5 of All Agricultural CareersIt involves the growing and marketing of field crops and livestockU.S. Farmers produce enough food and fiber to feed 135 people, large farm operations can feed over 200 people.

Production Agriculture

Raising* Field Crops* Poultry* Fruit* Vegetables* Livestock

Agriculture Mechanics

Involves* Planning & Constructing Buildings* Machinery Maintenance* Welding* Electrical Work & Plumbing

Agriculture Sales & ServiceInvolves Occupations such as:* Veterinarian* Ag Commissioner* Equipment Dealers* Feed Dealers* Ag Flying

Agriculture ProcessingInvolves processing and distributing food* Examples include:

-Butchers-Plant Workers-Egg

-Processing

HorticultureInvolves* Landscaping* Floriculture* Turf Management * Nursery Management

Forestry

Involves* Producing &

Harvesting Timber* Managing Forests* Reforestation

Rural Recreation &Natural Resources

Involves* Working with renewable resourcesExamples:

WildlifeWater & Soil

Agriculture Marketing & Business Management

Involves* Business Economics* Developing Markets* Successful Marketing

What’s In Your AreaDepends on 3 different factors

• Population

• Climate

• Consumer Demand

Types of Agricultural Production Jobs

Cattle RancherDiversified Crop FarmerDiversified Livestock ProducerFarm Manager

Cattle Rancher Selects, purchases, and raises cattle on leased or owned land for purpose of selling offspringKnowledge Requirements:

-Cattle industry including cattle prices, quality and markets. Nutrition, reproduction, and animal health are also important areas.Salary:

-$15,000 - $150,000 to unlimited (income varies greatly upon quantity of cattle, quality of cattle and extent of operation.

Diversified Crop FarmerCrop Farming workers plant, cultivate and harvest crops of fruits, fibers, grains, and/or vegetables.May raise specialty crops or diversified crops, they often produce several different types of crops simultaneouslySalary:

$15,000 - $90,000 depends on crop

Diversified Livestock ProducerDiversified livestock producers breed and raise livestock of various types.Skills Necessary:

OrganizedComputer skills and basic business knowledgeWilling to work independentlyEnjoy working outside in all kinds of weather

Salary: $20,000 - $35,000

Farm ManagerOrganize and Analyze farm resources, finances, and problemsDevelop solutions and plans for future farm enterprisesMake daily farming decisions related to crops, machinery and laborSalary:

$15,000 – $38,000 depends on size and varies greatly from year to year

Communication and Education Specialist CareersAgriculture Teacher

Agricultural Extension SpecialistAgricultural JournalistAgricultural Lawyer

Agriculture TeacherDevelop program, curriculum and activities related to agriculture for youth adults and graduatesJob Availability: SteadyWorking Conditions: Indoors in classroom, outdoors with experiments and hands-on activitiesSalary: $ 20,000 - $ 52, 000

Agricultural Extension SpecialistOrganize and conducts cooperative extension program to advise and instruct farmers and individuals engaged in agribusiness applications of agricultural research findings.Salary: $22,000 - $40,000Skill Necessary:

Strong interest in helping othersExcellent communication skills

Agricultural Lawyer

Focus on the law as it applies to the Agricultural IndustryNecessary Skills:

Proficiency in writing and speaking, reading, researching, and analyzingAble to think on your feetGood reasoning ability

Salary:$40,000 - $120,000

Managers and Financial Specialist

Agricultural ConsultantAgricultural Economist

Agricultural Consultant

Audits and appraises agricultural business and makes suggestions on improvementsSalary: $26,000 - $52,000Education Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in agricultural business or agricultural education

Agricultural Economist

Studies data and statistics in order to spot trends in economic activity, economic confidence levels, and consumer attitudesSalary: $40,000 - $62,000Skills Necessary:

AccuracyGood Communication SkillsAbility to Work Independently

Marketing, Merchandising, & Sales Representatives

Agricultural Chemical DealerAnimal Health's Products RepresentativesAgricultural Equipment Dealer

Agricultural Chemical DealerServes the farming community by providing chemicals used in farm situations. Knowledge of chemical uses warning and disposal methods is necessarySalary: $ 21,000 - $58,000Education Requirements:

College degree helpful but not requiredSales experience neededKnowledge of Chemical regulations Pesticide License

Animal Health’s Products Representatives

Develops sales and marketing strategies for selling animal health productsSalary: $ 22,000 – 62,000Necessary Skills:

Communicating effectivelyEnjoy TravelingGoal OrientedProblem Solving

Scientists, Engineers and Related Specialists

Agricultural Construction EngineerAnimal BreederArtificial Breeding Technician

Agricultural Construction Engineer

Designs and contracts agricultural structures such as mills, fertilizer plants, barns, etc.Salary: $26,000 - $65,000Education Required:

Master’s degree preferred in agriculture engineering.

Animal Breeder

Breed and raise animals to improve traits, to develop new breeds, or to maintain standards of existing breedsSalary: $18,000 - $55,000Necessary Skills:

OrganizedReliable and be able to follow detailed instructions

Artificial Breeding TechnicianAssists in collecting and maintaining semen, identifying appropriate times to inseminate (deposits sperm) female and the actual insemination processSalary: $23,000 - $36,000Education Requirements:

Technical school or a college degreeSpecialized training in artificial insemination techniques

Social Service Professionals

Foreign Affairs OfficialsFood and Drug Inspector

Foreign Affairs OfficialsForeign affairs officials assist in planning and implementing foreign affairs program which secure the interests of the country while promoting agricultureSalary: $28,000 - $75,000Working Conditions:

Travel frequently and work out of an office building

Food and Drug InspectorFood and Drug inspector impose federal and state grading standards on food and drug products for the purpose of ensuring consumer safety and fair pricingSalary: $25,000 - $65,000Necessary Skills:

Like detailed workResponsibleGood oral and written communication

Agricultural Equipment DealerFarm equipment dealer sell and service farm machinery and equipmentSalary: $28,000 - $75,000Education Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree with emphasis on agriculture and business.High School courses in agriculture, business and mechanics

Agricultural JournalistGather, write, edit and report news articles that are published in agricultural magazines, newspapers, journals or broadcast on radio or television.Salary: $20,000 - $55,000Education Required:

Bachelor’s Degree in journalism, communications, English or political science. High School classes in agriculture, journalism, media, computers, and business

How to Start Planning for an Agricultural Career?

Develop an Agricultural Career Portfolio

A collection of your best work on agricultural projects and other career-related materialsThe portfolio is used to sell your skills to a prospective employers

What to include in your Portfolio?Resume

Photographs and written reports of projects that you have completeNewspaper clippingsLetters of RecommendationPersonal and Career GoalsAction Plan for accomplishing your goals

High School• Enroll in agriculture classes including plant

science, animal science, agricultural mechanics, agribusiness and farm management

• Enroll in college – preparatory courses in English, math and science

• Join 4-H and FFA organization and participate in leadership and citizenship activities

• Develop a broad, supervised agricultural experience project

• Acquire hands-on, skill-development experience• Conduct agricultural research project

Career Plan After High School•Obtain an agricultural job and plan ways to get additional training while on the job

•Enter a community college and take courses that will transfer to the college of agriculture or life science of your choice

•Enter a two-year program in technical agriculture

•Enter a college of agriculture or life science and obtain a bachelor degree (B.S.), master degree (M.S.), and/ or doctorate (Ph.D)

What’s Right For You?

What areas interest you?

Where to look…TeachersFriendsFamilyIndustryNewspaper

How To Contact People• Phone

• Letter

• Word of Mouth

• Email

Where to Obtain Agriculture Career Information?

www.ffa.orgLook for the Career Center under the Site Index.

If agriculture is in your future ……

It is never to early to plan for your personal career success.