A Multitude of Agriculture Careers Make the Industry Successful

Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

Every summer, Justin McKain walks corn and soybean fields, flies drones to collect near-infrared images of crop health and studies satellite field imagery.

His career as a precision agronomist and digital ag specialist surprises people who never thought of agriculture as a scientific or technological field.

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“I think the public perceives the agricultural sector as primarily farmers and often does not realize the amount of professionals that support the industry,” says McKain, who works for The Equity, an agricultural retail cooperative providing agronomy, grain, feed and energy services in Illinois and Indiana. “I am an agribusiness professional, and I don’t think people understand the complexity of the issues we handle day to day. Farming today is very scientific and involves a lot of technology. There are lots of opportunities for careers even if you don’t have a farming background.”

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Careers Outpace Graduates

Justin McKain holds a drone while in front of a map showing the crop health of a field. The drone can help McKain detect crop stress, early onset of disease and more. Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

Annually through 2025, the demand from nearly 60,000 job openings in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources and the environment will outpace the available college graduates in these disciplines, according to the “2020-2025 Employment Opportunities Report” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Purdue University.

Some of those jobs include engineers, agronomists, plant breeders, foresters, veterinarians, agriscience teachers, climate specialists and many more. Demand will increase the most for careers related to agriculture management and business, such as marketers, financial advisers, credit analysts, business consultants, insurance managers and e-commerce specialists.

McKain grew up on a farm in Sullivan County, where his family grew watermelon and cantaloupe until transitioning the farm to a row-crop operation in 2010. He followed a passion for agriculture to several industry jobs, including sales for a seed company and a precision farming position at a farm equipment dealership.

Today, he carries two drones in his truck that help him scout crops in Illinois and Indiana for weeds, nutrient deficiencies, insects or disease pressure. He collects and analyzes data on crop health for farm fields and helps deliver solutions to address the challenges local farmers face.

“I’ve always been a little bit of a techy,” says McKain, who holds an associate degree in agriculture. “Back when I was in high school and beginning my college career, I originally thought I wanted to go into engineering, but I also was dabbling in computer science. I found the career path that married it all together, and it fell within that precision farming arena.”

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A Satisfying Path

Jennifer Clouse Swope opened a seed treatment facility as an independent contractor for LG Seeds. Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

Agriculture runs in the family for Jennifer Clouse Swope, the sixth generation to grow up on her family’s farm in Bartholomew County. She had no doubts about wanting to work in the industry and earned a bachelor’s degree in animal agribusiness and farm management from Purdue University.

“I never really thought much of being a woman involved in agriculture,” says Swope, who grew up watching her mom operate farm equipment in the field. “I knew that I loved the lifestyle that it brought. Growing up on the farm taught me valuable life lessons.”

After college, Swope started to farm with her parents, but in 2015 she also opened a seed treatment facility as an independent contractor for LG Seeds. In addition to farming, she sells corn and soybean seed for the company and also treats soybean seeds of any brand for local farmers. Swope and her husband operate the business, which custom-treats seeds with a combination of disease and insect protection, inoculants and biologicals.

LG Seeds supplies treated seeds to Hamilton County and surrounding counties. Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

“Agriculture is one of the largest industries with multiple career opportunities,” says Swope, a Bartholomew County Farm Bureau member. “The industry is constantly evolving and trying to produce more from less inputs, so the demand is always there.”

Swope’s family grows corn, soybeans and wheat and raises beef cattle, all of which demand routine interaction with agribusiness professionals. Representatives sell them equipment and crop protection products, and veterinarians help with cattle care. In addition, various professionals support the farm in areas of insurance, financing, marketing, equipment repair, precision agriculture services and grain storage.

The legacy, lifestyle and values make a career in the agriculture industry a gratifying experience for Swope. McKain feels the same.

“I love working in agriculture,” says McKain, vice president of the Sullivan County Farm Bureau. “There is that personal satisfaction and gratification knowing what agriculture does for feeding the world. My career is just doing my part – coming up with strategies that are good for the environment and increased productivity and building that balance.”

Photo credit: Nathan Lambrecht

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