From the time Austin Bagby joined FFA in middle school, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in agriculture.
“Growing up, my grandfather had a dairy farm and I helped with the cows,” Bagby says. “It was my biggest interest and something I knew I wanted to do.”
Bagby participated in a dairy production supervised agricultural experience (SAE), increasing his herd from two heifers to 35 and leasing cows to other members of his Bell High FFA in Bell, Fla., to encourage them to learn about dairy production.
“While I was in FFA, it became more difficult for family and small dairies to cope with the increased costs of dairying. With this economic change, these smaller dairies retired their herds, leaving fewer dairies in the area that now rely on economies of scale,” Bagby says. “By leasing my cattle to those interested FFA members, they got the experience of learning about the industry and getting to show cattle and have their own dairy production SAE for FFA.”
As a high school freshman, Bagby started a separate SAE to learn more about the impact of nitrogen leaching on agricultural production, and the impact of humates and humic acid in the soil. He expanded the scope of the project several times, moving from potted plants to field trials to prove the benefit.
“Environmental problems take a big toll on farmers,” he says.
Bagby, now a senior majoring in agriculture studies at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, got to use some of those skills during a summer internship with Syngenta.
In the summer of 2022, Bagby spent three months traveling to citrus groves around Florida to test the soil for phytophthora, a disease that causes root and stem rot and can kill trees. He also worked alongside sales representatives who returned to the farms to talk to growers about the results of the soil tests and, if phytophthora was present, to recommend Syngenta products that could treat the disease.
“My favorite part was the independent nature of the work; I was responsible for my own work,” he says. “It prepared me to be ready to go into a career when I graduate from college.”
The internship also helped Bagby better understand the myriad opportunities for careers in agriculture. Based on the internship experience, he plans to pursue a career in agricultural sales after his 2023 graduation — a path he’d never considered before working for Syngenta.
“The biggest benefit for me was getting out there and getting out of my comfort zone and trying something new,” he says. “I found out, ‘Wow, this is really cool.’ Maybe getting to do it for a career. FFA has opened up so many opportunities in my life.”
Interested in an Internship? Many internships can be found on the Forever Blue Network. Find your fit at ForeverBlueNetwork.org.
