Young People Finding Careers in Agriculture and Farming

Last week we discussed the farming industry and some of the factors that have led to a decrease in the farm workforce. While there is no easy or overnight solution to the immediate problems, the news is not all bad -especially for bright young and ambitious career seekers. In this week's blog we'll look at the excitement, challenge, variability and fun that a career in agriculture can provide.

It's encouraging to see young professionals choosing farming as a career path, whether it’s a legacy takeover of a multi-generation farm, or a new face looking to grow a business in agriculture. The next generation of farmers is looking at the difficulties before them and viewing them as opportunities, rather than infringements. They will come with advanced degrees, new innovative methodology, entrepreneurial and creative marketing skills, and they will be the millennial pioneers ushering in a new age of farming.

With more open positions than qualified applicants, a position in agriculture has never been a better career choice. As we mentioned last week, there were 58,000 available jobs for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture last year, but only 35,000 people graduating with that degree—leaving over 20,000 jobs unfilled. The University of Iowa reports that there’s a 98.4 percent job placement rate for students graduating with an agricultural degree. Judging by the numbers, an agricultural degree is one of the best investments a young professional can make as it almost ensures entry into a market that is desperate for educated and skilled employees.

If the appeal of a wide array of available jobs isn’t enticing enough to the next generation of farmers, the idea that the world's population is expected to swell to over 9 billion people by 2050 should open their eyes. As the world’s population continues to creep upward, so does the need to farm.

Urban jobs are attracting more and more college graduates, but farming is not just a job, it's a lifestyle.  One day can be spent being an accountant and desk work, the next day working in the field, and the next day drafting a marketing plan. Farming provides the opportunity to explore multiple components of the business while keeping work engaging and interesting. 

The agriculture industry realizes its need to attract a new workforce and is hard at work promoting agriculture as a career choice. With programs designed to attract and ease entry into agriculture already in place (and more in development), the path to farming for youth, women, veterans, and many other groups has never seen this much support.   

We believe the future of Ag is bright.  Farming offers the possibility to be part of something greater. It gives those involved the chance to be an important cog in the machine of feeding the world. We are proud to be part of it and promise to continue searching for better ways to drive this industry forward.