Jobs in agriculture are not what they once were. They have become highly skilled, technical, and in some cases, lucrative. In addition to the traditional agricultural jobs planting crops or tending animals, there are also careers in agriculture which involve working with computers, accounting software and tractor guidance systems, developing disease-resistant seeds, managing markets or selling all types of products and equipment to producers.
Agriculture employment in the US is higher than in most other industries, partly because the field of agriculture has become big business and agriculture jobs are so diverse. Approximately one third of all the land in the US is used for agriculture and, despite the decline in small family farms, agricultural business careers are taking off.
Agriculture careers can be categorized into five areas:
1. Production
2. Research
3. Technology
4. Markets
5. Sales jobs in agriculture
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Understand the agricultural jobs market
Agriculture is a field we cannot live without; therefore, careers in agriculture will always exist. However, since agriculture positions exist in many different areas, it helps to know the market when you are planning your agriculture career. Take a look at what types of agriculture employment are available in certain geographic areas and where agriculture products are bringing the most money.
I recommend: Register with the
US Department of Agriculture Economics, Statistics and Market Information System's email reports to monitor agricultural employment and other agriculture statistics.
Talk to a recruiter to find the right agriculture job for you
A recruiter who handles agriculture jobs can help you understand what skills are required for each type of position. He can also give you some insight regarding hiring trends and wages, and help you get the agriculture job you are looking for.
I recommend: Contact recruiters at
Agri-Tech Personnel or
Ag 1 Source who specialize in agriculture positions to get more information about agricultural jobs.
Sample the range of jobs in agriculture
Explore various types of careers in agriculture before deciding if agricultural employment is right for you.
I recommend: You may want to work for the government in an agriculture job. Review job summaries from the US Department of Agriculture
Forestry Service. Also, search for an agriculture job in one of several countries with
AgCareers.com. You can register with
IrrigationJobs.com to have job listings emailed directly to you. And get to know some people in agriculture positions on a personal level by joining
FarmersOnly.com
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Give up those old stereotypes about farmers in overalls. Today, agriculture is big business and agriculture business careers are easy to find.
The official source of Agriculture Jobs is the Agriculture Jobs page at Business.com
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