Black Intelligentsia Libraries
The New Way Of Thinking
Farmer, Agricultural Manager
Did you grow up on a farm, or did your grandparents have one? If so, did you enjoy playing with and feeding the animals, riding tractors, and playing in the fields and gardens? Ever thought about continuing the family business? If you like the idea and understand the importance of raising food to help feed people, love Science and Math, and are business-savvy, then the world needs you to be a Farmer.
Farmers plan, direct, and coordinate the management and operation of farms, ranches, greenhouses, aqua-cultural operations, nurseries, timber tracts, and other agricultural establishments that produce crops, livestock, and dairy products. They hire, train, and supervise farm workers or contract for services to carry out the day-to-day activities of the managed operation, and they engage in or supervise planting, cultivating, harvesting, and financial and marketing activities. Collectively, they produce enough food and fiber to meet the needs of the US and for export worldwide.
The duties of a Farmer include but are not limited to: supervising all steps of the crop production and ranging processes (planting, fertilizing, harvesting, herding, etc.); determining how to raise crops or livestock according to market conditions, federal program availability, soil conditions, etc.; selecting and purchasing supplies (seed, fertilizers, farm machinery, etc.); operating and repairing farm machinery to cultivate, harvest, and haul crops; making adjustments based on weather and the crop's stage of its growing cycle; maintaining farm facilities, including water pipes, hoses, fences, and animal shelters; serving as the sales agent for livestock and crops; keeping financial, tax, production, and employee records; and tracking technological improvements in animal breeding and seeds, choosing new products to improve output.
High school students interested in becoming a Farmer benefit from taking Algebra, Geometry, Biology/Anatomy, Nutrition, Physical Science, Animal Science, and Chemistry. Farmers typically gain skills through work experience (having grown up on or worked on a family farm) and usually have at least a high school diploma.
Crop Farmers grow grain, fruits, vegetables, and other crops and make sure that the crops are properly packaged and stored. Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Farmers feed and care for animals, keeping them in barns, pens, and other well-maintained buildings while overseeing breeding and marketing. Horticultural Specialty Farmers oversee the production of nuts, fruits (grapes, berries, melons, citrus, etc.), vegetables, flowers, and landscaping plants (including turf). Aquaculture Farmers raise fish and shellfish in ponds and floating net pens, stocking, feeding, protecting, and maintaining aquatic life used for food and recreational fishing. Agricultural Managers hire and supervise farm and livestock workers to do most daily production tasks, and they oversee proper maintenance of equipment and property.
Farmers must carefully plan the combination of crops they grow, for farm output is strongly influenced by weather, disease, fluctuations in prices, federal farm programs, and politics. New Farmers are even faced with the financial burden of buying seed, livestock, and equipment before they have products to sell, which makes the strategic planting of crops evermore important. But while most farm output goes to food-processing companies, some farmers choose to sell their goods directly to consumers through farmer's markets in an effort to retain profit margins needed to sustain their farms.
Less than 1% of the people living in the US claim farming as an occupation. The average age of American Farmers is approaching 60 years old and continues to rise, for the US farm population has dwindled significantly. And the average age of African American Farmers is approaching 70 years old. This aging of the farm population has caused great concern, as the continuity of food supply, "tribal knowledge," and wide-spread expertise in the field is now in jeopardy. Young people of all races, backgrounds, and regions are encouraged to consider a career in farming, providing food to help support our country's demand, to contribute to our national security, and to ward off any national food crises.
The demand for Farmers is at an all-time high, yet employment of Farmers is on the decline, as big, well-established Farmers and corporations replace workers with machines. However, the opportunities are boundless for the increasing number of small, independent family Farmers who have developed successful market niches that involve personalized, direct contact with their customers.
Job Description
Median Salary & Range
Median Salary: $64,660
Salary Range: ~$31,980 - $112,150+
College Majors & Attainment Routes
The normal routes to becoming a Farmer have been to complete high school with as many Science classes and Agriculture electives as possible. Farmers, Ranchers, and other Agricultural Managers typically gain skills through work experience and take advantage of new-farmer training offered by a number of government programs. As farm and land management has grown more complex, more Farmers and Ranchers now have a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture or a related field.
It is becoming increasingly important for those who wish to earn a living as a Farmer to complete a degree at a College of Agriculture and learn about crops, growing conditions, plant diseases, and the basics of Veterinary Science, including the effects of pesticides on livestock. All state university systems have at least one land-grant college or university with a School of Agriculture offering programs of study that include Business with a concentration in Agriculture, Farm Management, Agronomy, Dairy Science, and Agricultural Economics.
Colleges That Provide Above Majors
Colleges and universities that have Agriculture Schools are: North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, North Carolina); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, Georgia); Alabama A&M University (Huntsville, Alabama); Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Alabama); Virginia State University (Petersburg, Virginia); University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Princess Anne, Maryland); Langston University (Langston, Oklahoma); Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Texas); Kentucky State University (Frankfort, Kentucky); Southern University and A&M College (Baton Rouge, Louisiana); Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Florida); University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (Pine Bluff, Arkansas); Tennessee State University (Nashville, Tennessee); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, DC); Alcorn State University (Lorman, Mississippi); Lincoln University (Jefferson City, Missouri); and South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, South Carolina).
Available Scholarships
