Introducing the Successful Farming College Edition Agribusiness Issue

From small-business owners to corner-office CEOs, the agribusiness world is a web of passionate, forward-thinking people working together. 

Perhaps you’re a budding entrepreneur who dreams of bringing an idea to life. Tyler Worthey, for instance, developed a taste for business when he transformed an FFA project into a budding hot sauce venture named Worthey Peppers. Read about how he’s learned to balance academics and running an agribusiness in or “15 Minutes With a Student” interview.

It’s also possible you’re looking to secure an internship or part-time or full-time job. Knowing how to interact with potential employers can create a positive, lasting impression and set you apart from peers. Bonnie Johnson of AgCareers.com outlines how to put your best foot forward.

Even if your next step isn’t into an office building but rather onto the field, you still have many business decisions to make. Commodity adviser Al Kluis shares anecdotes from young clients about the sometimes tough conversations they had with their farming parents and grandparents about grain marketing transitions. 

Some aspiring young farmers might not be taking over for a family member but for an unrelated retiring landowner. Avenues include American Farmland Trust’s (AFT) linking program in New York state, and Indiana University’s Land Access Policy Incentive, which researches “state programs such as tax incentives for owners selling to beginners,” as Dan Looker reports in his article, “Where Is Farmland Going?” 

These programs are a response to the “gray wave” of land ownership by investors, and just a few examples of professionals working behind the scenes to underpin the business of farming.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has had a titanic impact on our lives, making its way into numerous industries. At the intersection of agriculture technology and business is Norm, an ag adviser powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT large-language model, launched by Farmers Business Network (FBN). In “How Will Artificial Intelligence Change Agriculture?,” Alex Gray lays out how notable names in the industry, such as FBN and AGCO, plan to utilize AI to “help agribusinesses enhance productivity, sustainability, and profitability.”

There are more facets of agribusiness than we could endeavor to cover in a single issue, but we hope, by highlighting fields of study and career paths in agribusiness, you’ll be inspired to join the network of producers, market specialists, researchers, and communicators dedicated to fueling, feeding, and clothing our world.