Interested in growing your career in agriculture, but don’t know where to start? There are many false stories and misinformation around the agriculture industry and its jobs, but the truth is there are several in-demand and rewarding careers growing quickly in the job market. You’ll need to know what skills you need to qualify for top jobs, and also where to find them. Read on to learn more.

1. Food Science

Food scientists have been in great demand since food science became an industry. It’s expected to continue to grow as food scientists improve food products and create new products through research and experimentation. New ingredients, food sources, and food processing techniques are continuously changing the playing field in food science. A career in food science also involves conducting research and experiments to improve the productivity and sustainability of field crops and farm animals. The median salary for this career is more than $60,000 per year. It’s definitely an excellent option if you are considering a career in agriculture.

2. Veterinarian

As long as there are farm animals, there will be a demand for veterinarians. The importance of veterinarians in agriculture goes far beyond the need to keep valuable livestock healthy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s One Health approach emphasizes the idea that the health of animals is inextricably connected to human and environmental health. This interdisciplinary approach encourages widely varying industries, professions, and institutions to work together. The median salary for veterinarians in 2017 was more than $90,000.

3. Retail Sales

This career track includes all individuals engaged in the sales of products direct to farmers. It’s a broad range of jobs, but the most common of these products include seed, feed, equipment, crop nutrition and protection, and other agricultural technologies. Most of the positions are located in rural areas with maximum exposure to the farmer customer base, but if you enjoy the outdoors, connecting directly with people, and serving customers’ needs, this position may be just what you’re looking for.

4. Agribusiness Operations Manager

This career covers a range of professionals who run a non-farming operation agribusiness. Common positions include Grain Elevator Manager, Plant Manager, Feedlot Manager, Greenhouse Manager, or Feed Mill Manager. They run the gamut in terms of expertise and experience required. But one common thread is that most positions require minimal post-graduate training. Generally, requirements for an operations manager will include organizational skills, communication skills, integrity, and problem solving. The median annual salary for managers in this line of business is almost $70,000.

5. Custom Applicator/Pest Control

All crops have pests and diseases that are constantly threatening farmer’s yields and profits. However, farmers only need to worry about specific pests and diseases in key times of the year. For this reason, the investment in equipment and expertise to address various pest and disease issues is often contracted out to pest control and custom application specialists. Successful candidates for these positions are often knowledgeable about the products they use and crops they work with. Also, they generally are very good at working with equipment (especially in the case of a Custom Applicator) and have exceptionally high attention to detail.

Ready for a new opportunity?

If you’re looking to advance your career these tips can help you determine the skills needed to reach your goals and how you can get started. For more advice on how to grow your career in agriculture, contact the team at Ag 1 Source today.