Past, Present, Future: How are you connected to ag?

In the past, farmers and ranchers were the only groups associated with production agriculture. But as agriculture has grown into a global marketplace, we now recognize there are many more touchpoints into ag than ever before.

So how are you connected to agriculture today? For most people, the first connection that comes to mind is because they eat. From this perspective, people are simply the consumer connected to eating the end-product of production agriculture. And this is true – no matter what a consumer may choose to eat. 

For others it is as close as a home garden or orchard. By preparing the soil, planting seeds, watering and nurturing the growing plants and harvesting the fruits of the labor, the connection to farming is closer than you may have realized.

On a grander scale than a backyard hobby, 21.1 million full- and part-time jobs were related to the agricultural and food sectors in 2021, making up 10.5% of total U.S. employment. (Source) In fact, many of those jobs are held off the farm.

As the ag industry morphs and expands to reflect the changing landscape of American industry, the future of agriculture remains an important part of the global economy. You may even find yourself connected closer than you think.

Below are a few ag careers that students and the general public may overlook:

  1. Biochemist or biophysicist
  2. Accountant
  3. Computational biologist
  4. Retail buyer or purchasing consultant
  5. Human resource manager
  6. Construction manager or architect
  7. Environmental engineer or scientist
  8. Environmental compliance manager
  9. Food scientist, technologist or engineer
  10. Public relations specialist
  11. Agricultural engineer
  12. Genetic researcher
  13. Weather and crop production analyst
  14. Supply chain manager
  15. Real estate analyst
  16. Aviation Pilot
  17. Robotics
  18. Safety director
  19. Information technology specialist
  20. Ag Influencer

Learn more about the past, present and future of the agriculture industry and the cooperative system.

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