Chapter 3 Agriculture as a Career 119 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Agribusiness The agribusiness career area includes people who are concerned with managing the profitability of agricultural products and companies. In order to work in agribusiness, you should like to work with economics, mathematics, and finances. Careers in this area include: „ Commodity Trader. Much like a stock trader, commodity traders work to sell agricultural goods and commodities, sometimes months before they are ready for shipment. „ Farm or Ranch Manager. The manager is involved with the day-in and day-out workings of a production farm or ranch. The primary focus is to keep the operation running smoothly and making a profit. The manager is usually in charge of personnel, payroll, and buying and selling inventory. Other careers in agribusiness are shown in Figure 3-18. Agriscience People who are interested in the scientific principles behind agriculture and the research and development of emerging agricultural technologies are often employed in agriscience careers. These careers examine the core science behind the things that happen in agriculture on a daily basis. If you have an inquisitive mind and like to explore the reasons things work the way they do, then a career in agriscience might be right for you. Nutritionists and meteorologists are examples of agriscience careers: „ Nutritionist. Traditionally, nutritionists plan food and nutrition programs. They understand the amount and types of food that an animal or human needs for their life functions. Depending on their training and education background, nutritionists may also be involved in the development of more nutritional varieties of plants and animals. larry1235/Shutterstock.com Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 3-18. Many people involved in agribusiness careers are also involved in other areas of agriculture. For example, a ranch manager may manage beef cattle production as well as manage the financial aspects of the operation. Accountant Agribusiness manager Agritourism manager Banker Chemical dealer or sales representative Economist Farm appraiser Farm labor contractor Farm manager Financer Grain and livestock buyer Grain merchandising Information systems analyst International marketing Lawyer Leasing consultant Loan officer Market analyst Marketing head Policy analyst Political advocacy Quality controller Resource economist Tax consultant Agribusiness