According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the average U.S. household is now at least three generations removed from the farm. This disconnect has led to an increased need to advocate for the industry and communicate clearly and effectively the importance of production agriculture. For decades, this has been a challenge FFA members across the country have taken up through their Program of Activities (POA), supervised agriculture experience (SAE) programs, and career and leadership development events (CDEs/LDEs). This year, Gallup – which releases an annual poll that measures public opinion of U.S. business sectors – found farming and agriculture as the top-ranking industry for the first time in the poll’s 20-year history. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the essential work of farmers into the spotlight.
“There are so many wonderful things about the agriculture industry that will always remain and make it a great industry to be involved in,” says Erika Osmundson, director of marketing communications at AgCareers. com. “Things like work ethic, resiliency, levelheadedness and accountability come to mind. They are the foundation for production agriculture as well as our agribusinesses. But beyond those foundational pillars, we’ve seen more movement and attention in highlighting things like innovation, creativity, technology savvy and more in the past five years. With the pandemic, we’ve also shed light on the ‘essential’ nature of agriculture and food, which hopefully will have a positive, lasting impact on the public’s viewpoint about career opportunities in the industry.”
As agricultural education students sit in classrooms, preparing for jobs that might not yet exist, there is comfort in knowing their future lies within a vital and far-reaching industry. But what does the future of hiring look like for soon-to-be graduates?
“I don’t think we’ll see a huge shift in the types of jobs, but rather a focus on the virtual aspects and innovation within those types,” Osmundson says. “We’ll continue to see work in technology grow both in the field and within agricultural organizations. I think we’ll also see a surge in employee engagement strategy and the workforce that helps to lead those efforts.”
While future careers may seem a long way off for some, it is never too early to begin making decisions that will impact those plans. FFA members can start exploring careers early through AgExplorer.ffa.org, and see SAE ideas, career spotlights and prep materials for various fields. FFA alumni and supporters can connect with fellow members and expand their networks through ForeverBlueNetwork.org. Anyone looking to work in agriculture can visit AgCareers.com to see the latest job postings in the industry.
