Food and Agricultural Business

Area

Employer

Information/Strategies

Area:

Financial Services and Related Areas

Sub-Area:

Banking:
- Commercial and Personal Lending
- Branch Management
- Bank Operations
Commodities (Stocks & Futures)
Insurance:
- Sales
- Claims Analysis
- Underwriting
- Risk Management
Real Estate:
- Residential Brokerage
- Commercial Sales
- Appraisal
- Property Management
- Real Estate Portfolio Management

Employers:

Commercial banks
Credit unions
Savings and loans associations
Service banks
Mortgage banks
Purchasing/supply firms
Farm cooperative services
Real estate brokers
Agricultural commodity organizations
Insurance companies
Appraisal firms
Developers
Large corporations: real estate departments
Real estate investment trusts
Law firms

Strategies & Information:

Take additional courses in statistics, finance, and accounting.
Seek experience in financial areas through part-time employment or internships.
Develop strong communication skills, as many positions require interaction with others and the ability to explain information clearly and concisely.
Get involved in student professional associations such as the National Agrimarketing Association or other agribusiness clubs.
Demonstrate competence in managing money and analyzing data. Serve as a treasurer for a student organization.
Stay up to date on local, national, and global economic trends.
Research and contact major and/or local financial and banking institutions that specialize in the agricultural market.

Area:

Marketing and Related Areas

Sub-Area:

Agricultural Marketing
Customer Relations
Logistics
Outside Sales
Retail Sales

Employers:

Agribusinesses
Production industries
Food retailers and wholesalers
Food processors
Manufacturers of farm input supplies
Farm equipment manufacturers
Market analysis firms
Insurance firms

Strategies & Information:

Gain experience with retailers in the agricultural industry and other agribusinesses through internships or summer and part-time jobs.
Develop strong interpersonal skills and the ability to relate well with a wide variety of people.
Initiative, sales ability, and excellent customer service skills are also important in this area.
Get involved in campus organizations such as the National Agrimarketing Association and seek leadership roles.

Area:

Management

Sub-Area:

Agricultural Management
Crop and Livestock Farm Management
Farm and Home Management
Agribusiness Management
Land Management
Environmental Resource Management
Retail Management

Employers:

Agribusinesses
Farm input supply businesses
Commodity processors
Landscape design and maintenance firms
Production industries
Feedlot operations
Feed and seed companies
Food wholesalers and retailers (grocery stores)
Farmers cooperatives
Gas, electric, and water distributors
Retailers outside of agriculture

Strategies & Information:

Get involved in professional organizations such as Institute of Food Technologists or International Food and Agribusiness Management Association.
Pursue experiences with management companies through part-time employment, internships, or co-ops.
Develop skills in decision-making and policy analysis along with excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Stay up to date on local, national, and global economic trends.
Research and build contacts at management organizations that specialize in agriculture.
Prepare to start in entry-level management trainee positions.

Area:

Agricultural Equipment Systems Management

Sub-Area:

Purchasing/Buying
Dealership Management
Customer Relations
Wholesale and Retail Sales
Environmental Technology
Farm Supply Management
Logistics
Training

Employers:

Agricultural support companies
Agricultural machinery manufacturers
Machinery dealerships
Machinery service companies
Landscape development and maintenance industry
Farm input supply businesses
Farm and garden supply stores
Wholesale distributors
Logistics firms

Strategies & Information:

Develop awareness and understanding of the farm machinery and equipment market, both nationally and internationally.
Research the development of basic and advanced farm and agricultural equipment.
Obtain retail and/or wholesale sales experience, preferably in the field of agriculture or farm supply companies.
Get involved in related student organizations.
Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills, especially for sales-related positions.

Area:

Rural Development/Resource Economics

Sub-Area:

Land Management
Environmental Resource Management
Rural Economic Development
Rural Planning
Timberland Economy
County Planning
Policy Analysis

Employers:

Local and state government
Federal government agencies including:
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Bureau of Land Management
Gas, water, and electric distributors
Coal companies
Mining companies
Railroads
Law firms
Nonprofit organizations

Strategies & Information:

Volunteer with relevant organizations to gain familiarity with rural economic issues.
Develop excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Stay up to date on local, national, and global economic trends.
Build skills in decision-making and policy analysis.
Assist a faculty member with his or her research.
Complete an internship with a government agency.

Area:

Government/Nonprofit

Sub-Area:

State and Federal Conservation
Health and Regulatory Inspection
Agricultural Inspection
Policy Analysis
Legislation
Association Representation

Employers:

State and Federal Conservation
Health and Regulatory Inspection
Agricultural Inspection
Policy Analysis
Legislation
Association Representation

Strategies & Information:

Develop excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Gain experience and exposure to the industry by volunteering with organizations such as 4-H.
Complete an internship with a government agency.
Maintain a high grade point average.
Research government application processes.

Area:

Education

Sub-Area:

Teaching
Research
Agricultural Extension

Employers:

Colleges and universities
Research institutions
Extension services
Farm information services utilizing mass communication

Strategies & Information:

Earn a PhD for university teaching and research.
Volunteer to assist a faculty member with his or her research.
Get involved in relevant campus activities such as tutoring, peer mentoring, etc.
Participate in organizations such as 4-H or Future Farmers of America (FFA) and seek leadership roles.
Gain experience working with children and adults of varying ages.
Prepare to live in a rural community for some extension positions.

General Information and Strategies

Since the foundation of this degree is business and economics, students may pursue employment opportunities outside of agriculture. Consider management, sales, marketing, communications, and publics relations.
A bachelor's may serve as a pre-professional path for students interested in pursuing advanced degrees in law, business, agribusiness management, or agricultural economics.
Earn a graduate degree to pursue university teaching and advanced research positions.
Obtain relevant experience through internships and summer or part-time jobs.
Get involved in relevant student organizations and seek leadership roles.
Develop transferable skills that most employers value, such as communication skills, leadership ability, creativity, ability to work on a team, and self-motivation.
Prepare to live in rural and farming communities for some of the career areas and be geographically flexible.
Build a professional network for exploring career opportunities and job openings.

* Original content provided by The University of Tennessee