Agriculture Jobs are Growing!

I just read some great news for high school seniors debating which career path to take. According to an article in Cattle Network based on a study by Purdue University and the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, ag-related careers are showing promise.

Over the next five years, job opportunities in this broad field of study are said to be even better than during 2005-10. I think this has a great deal to do with the diversity of agriculture and the fact that consumers are wanting more information about where their food and fiber comes from and how it is handled.

I hope this new interest in agriculture will influence the curricula of the many outstanding agricultural programs in Texas. We need bright minds to bring innovative thinking to the future of agriculture in the Lone Star State.
You can read the entire Cattle Network article below:

Report: Job Market Expected To Improve For Ag-Related Grads
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Employment opportunities for college graduates in agriculture and related academic fields are expected to be better over the next five years than from 2005-10, according to a report by Purdue University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The "Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Food, Renewable Energy and the Environment" report estimates 54,400 jobs in agriculture-related sectors will be added in the United States annually between 2010 and 2015. In that same period, 53,500 students are expected to graduate each year from U.S. colleges of agriculture and in the life sciences, veterinary medicine, forestry and natural resources, and allied non-agricultural fields.

"Depending on their area of expertise, there should be good opportunities for graduates, with some growth in total jobs during the next five years," said Allan Goecker, associate director of academic programs for Purdue's College of Agriculture and one of the report's authors.

A summary of the report is available online at http://www.ag.purdue.edu/USDA/employment

Nearly three-fourths of the new jobs will be in business and science occupations; 15 percent in agriculture and forestry production; and 11 percent in education, communication and government services.

"In the business and management fields, occupations in sales and service continue to be the bellwether for employment opportunities," Goecker said. "I also think we're going to see more emphasis on people who have expertise and experience in financial planning and management and in environmental compliance."

Other fields with above-average job growth through 2015 include food science, plant sciences, biological engineering, public practice veterinary medicine, specialty crop production, forest restoration, precision agriculture, crop management consulting, climate change analysis, distance education and natural resources conservation, Goecker said.

"Many of these areas are tied to food and renewable energy, which are considered necessities," he said. "Five years ago we were talking about opportunities in the 'green' industry, particularly areas such as turf management and landscape architecture. Right now the job market in those areas is not very strong because they tend to be viewed as luxury services."

The future job market for college graduates with degrees in food, renewable energy and environmental fields will depend on macroeconomic conditions and retirements, consumer food choices, public policy decisions, and global market shifts in population, income, food and energy, Goecker said.

"There will be niches in the market where we will be undersupplied in the work force and areas of the market where we'll probably have more graduates than the market can accommodate," he said.

The report is based on data from the U.S. Department of Labor, the National Center for Educational Statistics, and colleges and universities.

Source: Allan Goecker, Purdue University

Rockwall High School Ag Class a Popular Choice Among Students

A few weeks ago, USA Today published an article about an FFA program in St. Louis that illustrates how broad and diverse agriculture is today. The story also reported how students of various backgrounds are being introduced to the choices they have when considering agriculture as a profession.

Right here in Texas, students at Rockwall High School also are exploring the ever-growing field of agriculture. As described in this Dallas Morning News story, Casey Jones is the only Texas teacher currently qualified to teach Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE), a project of the National Council for Agricultural Education.

CASE recognizes that agriculture is much more than the food we eat and the clothes we wear. It’s a big part of our economy, and it’s growing. Students in the Rockwall program are developing skills for a variety of career paths that can lead to commodity markets, biology labs and veterinarian training.

It was exciting to learn each CASE unit offers national standards in core subjects such as English, science and math. Even if a student is not necessarily planning a career in production agriculture, he or she will have many career choices and will be better prepared for the rigors of college. This is a great example of the many good things happening in Texas agriculture, and the program in Rockwall could be a model for schools across the state.

A visit from the future leaders of Texas agriculture

Take a look below at the picture of the 2009-2010 Texas FFA officers. These young men and women represent hope and opportunity for Texas agriculture. They were in Austin recently and we had the chance to discuss their futures, the future of Texas and the future of Texas agriculture.

L-R front row: Allison Grainger, State President, Brenham FFA; Commissioner Staples; Tyler Brandfield, Boerne FFA; Katie Heinrich, Lubbock-Cooper FFA; Layton Norwood, Prairiland FFA and Miles Vann, Wellman-Union FFA. Back row: Jeremiah Miller, S&S Consolidated FFA; Kody Kale, Falls City FFA; Aron Hutchins, Stephenville FFA; Dakotah Williams, Glen Rose FFA and Kalen McLaurin; Big Sandy FFA.

While not all of these young leaders will go into a career field directly tied to agriculture, each will be a lifetime ambassador for agriculture. Each will be able to tell the story of the perseverance, tenacity and, yes, stubbornness required of every farmer and rancher who works daily to provide us with the most reliable, safest and most affordable food supply in the world.

If you don't already, please take time to volunteer to help the FFA program or agriculture department at your high school, or call your county extension agent and ask how you can help with your local 4-H clubs. Your future literally depends on it.

Texas A&M ranked in national study

While our football team at Texas A&M hasn’t ranked too high on the national stage lately (we are making great improvement), leadership in agriculture has been consistent over the years.

Texas A&M’s Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications was recently ranked second in the nation among 82 universities with similar programs. The programs were ranked in the study, “Characteristics of Distinguished Programs of Agricultural Education,” conducted by a professor from Ohio State, whose graduate team surveyed administrators across the country. They were asked to rank the agricultural programs they held in “highest professional regard.” Texas A&M was recognized by many as the most distinguished, based on factors such as faculty, research and international emphasis. A&M specifically was noted for its scope of research, leadership programs and faculty.

Congratulations to all those who contributed to achieving this national recognition. Your efforts are having a profound impact on Texas agriculture and our entire world.