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Let’s talk about agriculture. Iowa is leading the way in terms of agriculture. Iowa is the leading producer of soybeans, corn, pork, and egg production. Without a doubt, agriculture is a major player in our economy. As demand goes up, producers need to be innovative to increase production. They are constantly being tasked to produce more with fewer resources. Thankfully, with today’s modern technology, producers are able to do things that were once thought unimaginable. Through the use of GPS, computers, drones, and more, producers are able to utilize technology with their farming practices to increase their yields.

So, let’s talk about a Precision Ag Degree and what you can do with this degree. Yes, there are NUMEROUS jobs that will be waiting for you upon graduation, but let’s just go over a few of the jobs that you could pursue with a degree in precision agriculture. The jobs listed below are referred to as, “Ag-Adjacent” careers. Oftentimes, people study precision ag so they are more effective in their own farming operations. In addition to that, there are several career paths that they could follow, including these five jobs.

Crop Consultant

If you’re looking to work with producers, consider a career in crop consulting. What’s that? Crop Consultants meet with producers and tell them where to plant certain kinds of crops in a precise area. You would also work closely with producers to educate them about soil, seeds, budgets, and other environmental factors like rainfall and humidity. Crop Consultants are often employed by seed dealers and service providers, and work hard to help producers get the most yield per acre.

Precision Agriculture Specialist

Another job that will be waiting for you upon graduation would be a Precision Agriculture Specialist. As a PAS, your job responsibilities would be to provide support and technical assistance to producers who are using precision technology in their fields. You would be able to contour differential global positioning systems for soil sampling and develop information maps, recommendation maps, and more.

Equipment Technicians

How does the title of Equipment Technician sound? Oh yeah, you’d be in charge of diagnosing, adjusting, repairing, or overhauling the large farm machinery! You would spend your time working on tractors, combines, dairy equipment, irrigation systems, and more. The people drawn to this field tend to be technical and enjoy problem-solving. Talk about getting hands-on experience!

Data Analysist

Your main responsibility will be to take the data being collected and process it through advanced software systems. This data is then analyzed by you to help producers and crop consultants make informed decisions that they understand.

Sales Support

Finally, Sales Support. These fancy, high-tech pieces of equipment are everywhere nowadays, but how are they getting from the manufacturer to the consumer? BINGO! You got it, sales! As a member of the sales community, your responsibilities would be to meet with producers, retailers, and industry representatives and pitch the newest, hottest, most cost-effective, high-tech, state-of-the-art piece of equipment you’ve got. Who wants to have their life remain complicated? I mean, we’ve got cars that drive themselves now, obviously, the world is accepting this new autonomous lifestyle. So, your job is to sell agricultural industry on this new lifestyle and offer any advice you can to make their life, and their jobs, easier.

There you have it! Five in-demand career areas out of LITERALLY dozens that you can do with a Precision Agriculture degree. If you have a specific career path in mind that you’d like to pursue, great! Ellsworth will help prepare you, and we could even land you an internship that might turn into a full-time career! Reach out to our admissions team and let them know what you’re interested in. Our team will put you on the right path to one day achieving your dream job!