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Apr. 16, 2025 by Michelle Miller, the Farm Babe, is a farmer, public speaker, and writer who has worked for years with row crops, beef cattle, and sheep. She believes education is key in bridging the gap between farmers and consumers.
According to the 2025 Feeding the Economy report, 47,181,643 people in the United States work in the agricultural and food industries. That is 29 percent of the U.S. population! This number might be surprising depending where you live. For some, that probably seems reasonable if you're in a rural area and are surrounded by ag. But if you don't see agriculture on a daily basis, that number might be a bit of a shock. One interesting thing about agriculture is that there are so many jobs that play a role in producing food and getting it to the consumer that aren't always considered "ag" careers. Think of how many people work as accountants, run social media, work in labs as researchers, operate manufacturing and repair equipment, and do tons of other incredibly important things who might not ever step foot on a farm. You don't need to work on a farm to be a part of ag. In fact, here's a high-level look at some of the types of jobs that are considered an ag career: Ag Business Ag business includes everything from lawyers, communicators, human resources, office managers, insurance agents, extension agents, communications, event managers, and policy analysts. Ag Mechanics Ag mechanics are another key part of ag and include electrical engineers, truck drivers, service technicians, livestock haulers, precision ag, and construction workers. Animal Science Animal science does include some common ag careers like farmers, ranchers, and veterinarians, but it also includes geneticists, beekeepers, nutritionists, feedlot operators, pet groomers, and auctioneers. Other areas like the equine industry and even zoos are a part of ag too! Environmental Services & Natural Resources These are other important parts of ag and include careers like fisheries workers, ecologists, mine engineers, biologists, forestry, ethanol producers, land surveying, geologists, and aquaculture workers. Food Science Food science is a broad area that includes careers like food safety managers, produce inspectors, dietitians, food scientists, packing plant workers, food packaging, and food stylists. Chefs, servers, and others who work in restaurants and food production are also indirectly part of ag. Plant Science Plant science includes crop advisors, greenhouse managers, custom applicators, florists, plant researchers, plant breeders, ag pilots, commodity marketing, grain graders, and a lot more. There are a ton of other ag careers out there. Areas of ag such as tourism, ag education, sales, law enforcement, government, and so many others require thousands more employees. There are also technology needs that require software developers, IT specialists, and drone techs. There's plenty of room for the trades in agriculture as well, which includes welders, truck drivers, equipment operators, electricians, and refrigeration specialists. To read the entire report click here. Tweet |
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