Major Monday — Sustainable Agriculture

With the organic and natural movement, the demand has never been higher for healthy, sustainable food. If you can think abstractly about how to merge the fields of science and business in relation to food and agriculture and sustaining the needs of consumers, then majoring in sustainable agriculture may be the right field for you!

Education
This major is typically earned at the bachelor’s level. In high school, it can be helpful to take courses such as agriculture, accounting, business and environmental science. At the college level, you should expect to take courses such as organic farming, agroecology, plant science, soil science, farm business management and integrated pest management. Be prepared to learn about all aspects of the farming industry: from plants to livestock, from business practices to scientific methods and everything in between.

What to know before you apply
Since this major is involved in so many different fields, figure out what kind of concentration you’d like to pursue before applying to a specific school. For example, is this major housed in the agricultural school or the business school? Are there special requirements to even get into this major? Can you choose your concentration? Also, as with any major, find out where you will be getting your experience. Do the places you can intern at typically offer jobs to graduates? The connections you make during college are extremely important to helping you find a job post-graduation.

Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, agricultural and food scientists earned an average $58,610 per year as of 2012. Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers earned an average of $69,300 per year as of 2012.