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Industry: Food, Crop, and Animal Agriculture

Careers in Food, Crop, and Animal Agriculture offer opportunities in a variety of environments including laboratories, farms, production facilities, and more. Careers include a variety of sub-industries such as livestock production, animal management, education, animal food production, agriculture marketing/sales, and crop/seed management. Skills used in this area include, but are not limited to: critical thinking skills, written and verbal communication, and technical skills needed in the industry. We invite you to explore this cluster to determine if it is a good fit for you and leverage our resources to launch your job, internship, or graduate school search.

Make an Appointment with a Career Coach

Step One: Log into your Handshake account

Step Two: Click on Career Center in the top right, Appointments, and then Schedule a New Appointment

Step Three: Choose one of the following Appointment Categories: Resume/CV Review, Industry Research/Finding Experience, Graduation Professional School, Job Search

Step Four: Choose one of the following industries: Agriculture and Environmental Sciences

Step Five: Choose the appointment time and date that work for you!

Example Career Paths and Job Titles 

Agriculture Marketing Specialist

Biostatistician

Education Technician

Extension Agent/Specialist

Farm Owner/Manager

Farmer Instructor

Loan Manager

Research Scientist/Assistant

Sales Representative

Flavor Technologist

Food Safety Inspector/Quality Assurance Manager

Food Technologist

Livestock Feed Production and Development

Microbiologist

Nutritionist

Packaging Engineer

Product or Ingredient Development

Sensory Scientist

Slaughter Processor

Agronomist

Crop Advisor

Florist

Soil Scientist

Horticulturist

Seed Production Technician

Plant Biologist

Plant Scientist

Entomologist

Animal Behavior Specialist

Animal Geneticist

Farm Manager

Feedmill Operator

Feedlot Manager

Herd Nutritionist

Lab Animal Technician

Product Development and Nutrition Scientist

Shelter Supervisor

Sire Analyst

Career Resources

Student Organizations

You can view a list of student organizations related to agriculture on VolLink or by going to the Student Organization website for the Herbert College of Agriculture. Below are a few examples of some student organizations:

  • Block and Bridle Club
  • Collegiate 4-H and FFA
  • Crop, Soil, & Environmental Science Club
  • Dairy Club
  • Food Science Club
  • Pre-Vet Association

Research
Research is another experience that can be helpful in exploring careers and gaining relevant experience. If you are considering a Masters or PhD, gaining research experience is very important (possibly even critical) for graduate school admissions. Explore the following resources for ideas on how and where to get started.

For specific research opportunities, students are encouraged to reach out to faculty directly by browsing the department websites to learn about research areas and sending a direct email to the faculty member. Students should make sure their email is professional and may want to consider attaching a resume.

Professional Organizations can be helpful in exploring more about certain sub-industries within Food, Crop, and Animal Agriculture, finding job opportunities, and connecting with professionals in your area of interest. Many have their own job search boards along with a way to sign up for job alerts. You can view a list of Professional Organizations associated with your area/major on What Can I Do With This Major. Below are a few examples of some professional organizations:

Below are a few platforms you can use to research specific job opportunities within Food, Crop, and Animal Agriculture:

Please note that many large research organizations (Merck Animal Health, Mars Petcare, etc.) and production companies (JBS, Perdue, Tyson, etc.) have their own job search platform.

Graduate School Application Resources

Many graduate school resources can be found on our Prepare for Graduate School website, including deciding on graduate school, resumes, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays/personal statements. Graduate School Applications take time and will require roughly 6-9 months of preparation.

The key to applying to a graduate program within Food, Crop, and Animal Agriculture will be exploring each school and program’s process for obtaining a faculty mentor. You will likely need to research faculty associated with the program of interests and contact them to inquire about research opportunities and faculty mentorship. Below are some links you may find helpful:

Veterinary School Application Resources

Veterinary school applications are generally due around September and require 6 months-12 months of preparation. Programs are highly competitive and will review your academics, veterinary/animal experience, graduate admissions exams (if applicable to the school), and your desire to become a veterinarian. The American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges provides several resources on their website regarding career path options, application process, needs, and timeline. They even provide an applicant guide and sample application for each application cycle. Below are some links that may be useful:

If you are interested in other areas of Healthcare such as medical school, dental school, etc., please visit the Healthcare & Wellness Industry cluster on our website.