Farming (yes, farming) is where the jobs are
According to projections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for 2005 to 2010, the projected number of ag-related job openings for new graduates is 52,000, which is 2,700 more than the projected number of qualified graduates. Almost half (46 percent) of agriculture jobs will be in management and business, while a quarter of the jobs will involve science and engineering.
The USDA anticipates some of the greatest opportunities to
be in cutting-edge fields, such as precision agriculture, biotechnology,
nanotechnology and biomaterials engineering. Opportunities in production, meanwhile, will be greatest for growers of horticultural crops, including fruits, vegetables and landscape plants, and growers of specialty crops that provide raw materials for medical and energy products. Fewer opportunities are expected for producers of traditional commodities such as wheat, cotton and cattle.
The average annual wage of an experienced farm or ranch manager in Missouri is $83,700. For an experienced biochemist, the average wage is $104,500; it is $46,300 for an experienced agricultural inspector.
Entrepreneurship allows small farmers to grow their incomes, said Loyd Wilson, director of Agriculture Business Development for the Missouri Department of Agriculture.
“Agritourism businesses such as corn mazes, pumpkin patches and wineries ‹ all of
those are examples of agricultural entrepreneurship that have affected the economy and increased the income of farmers,” he said.
The Missouri Hot Jobs List, put together by the Missouri Economic Research and
Information Center, reveals a strong bias toward college-educated agricultural
workers. Of the 18 natural resources and agricultural jobs on the list, only two
require less than a bachelor’s degree. Compare that to the education requirements
for the 35 hot jobs in the health services group: Of those, 21 require less than a
bachelor’s degree.
More information is available at http://dese.mo.gov/divcareered/missouri_connections_news_room.htm.
