Our Industry: Careers in Agribusiness

Agriculture Employs America!

Agriculture is America's largest employer, providing jobs for 21 million people.

But did you know that 90 percent of the men and women employed in American Agriculture are not farmers?

Most of them are employed in agribusiness -- a large sector of U.S. agriculture that handles grain from the time it leaves the farm to the time it becomes finished food products in the grocery store.

People employed in agribusiness buy, sell, distribute, process and mill grain and feed for human, animal and industrial use. They work for the grain, feed and processing companies that transform raw agricultural commodities harvested by farmers into finished consumer products.

You Have a Lot to Offer..

Because you have an agricultural background, you are very valuable to the grain, feed and processing industry.

And Companies Need You!

The companies that market and/or process raw commodities need people with an understanding of grains and agriculture. For the U.S. to remain competitive, it needs a strong, efficient grain-handling system run by educated, ambitious people like you. From rural country elevators to feed mills, processors and giant export companies, this industry is looking for people who can make the U.S. agricultural marketing system run smoothly, efficiently and productively.

Career Opportunities Available to You

Specifically, this industry needs people who can manage agribusiness, buy and sell grain and feed products to other U.S. grain companies and foreign nations, build more efficient grain handling equipment and storage facilities, improve the quality of food and feed products, and make sure that grain in transported in a timely fashion from the farm, to the elevator, to the processor or exporter.

Here are just some of the careers available to you!

Plant Manager

• country and terminal grain elevators
• feed mill
• processing plant

Grain, feed and processing firms value people trained in business management to manage grain elevator, feed mills or divisions of large grain companies. With this experience, you eventually may run your own grain company.

Sales Representative

• feed
• seed
• farm supply

Sales representatives sell feed, seed, chemicals and fertilizer to producers, livestock and poultry operations, and the international marketplace.

Commodities Merchandiser/Broker: Men and women trained in agricultural economics often become commodity merchandisers, buying and selling grain. They also are in demand to analyze trends in grain marketing and to develop new marketing strategies.

Animal Scientist/Nutritionist: Animal scientists and nutritionists are involved in formulating the nutritional feed rations that are manufactured and sold by commercial feed mills. Some provide expert advice to livestock and poultry producers on how to improve feed efficiency. Others may sell animal health products.

Agricultural Economist: Agricultural economists are educated i the business and management side of agriculture. They study how economic principles are applied to almost every sector of agribusiness: grain and feed marketing, finance, agribusiness management, agricultural accounting, farming, professional farm management and appraisal, public policy analysis, international trade, law, teaching and research.

Agricultural Engineer: Mechanical and electrical engineers design grain handling equipment and devise new techniques to better store grain and preserve its quality.

Facility Design/Construction: Civil engineers are involved in building and renovating grain elevators to make them safer and more efficient.

Agronomist: Grain and feed companies use men and women trained in agronomy (crop production and soil science) to formulate new and better crop varieties and harvesting techniques to enhance grain quality.

Transportation and Logistics Manager: The industry employs logistics experts who are responsible for arranging for the rail, truck, barge and vessel transportation of grain, feed and processed products.

Getting Involved in Agribusiness -- Where to Start

Whether you are still in high school or ready for college, now is a good time to think about and investigate career opportunities.

Employers are Looking for People with:

1. A background in agriculture

2. A college degree.

Many colleges and state universities have exciting agricultural programs that offer dozens of majors to choose from! Many of those colleges and universities have booths at the National FFA Career Show, so check them out! They can give you information on the spot! Or you can call your local land grant university, community college or county extension service office for catalogs and other information about their agribusiness programs.

3. A Genuine Interest in Agribusiness