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Course: Agriculture General
The essence of agriculture is providing food, whether you grow soybeans, herd cows, or develop a new hybrid tomato. But the basic task of keeping humans fed is complicated by environmental, scientific, economic, political, and legal questions.
How can local government agencies help keep farmers from having to sell their land to developers? What pesticides are effective yet have the least impact on the environment? How can water sources be managed so that they last? How will a surplus in Chinese apples affect international trade? Agricultural students learn how to answer all of these questions and more.
Agriculture students learn how to use general principles of agricultural research and production to approach practical agricultural problems. These problems range from soil conservation and animal husbandry to plant cultivation and business management.
Are You Ready To...?
- Write a senior thesis, on the viticulture (wine grape) industry in California, for example
- Study abroad, examining irrigation techniques in Australia, for example
- Apply business and economic theory to real-world agricultural situations
- Complete an internship, teaching farming to emotionally disabled children, for example
It Helps To Be...
Interested in current events. Agricultural topics, such as the debate over genetically modified food, are in the news almost every day.
College Checklist
- What courses outside the school of agriculture will you have to take?
- What subdisciplines, such as natural resource economics or statistics, does the college emphasize?
- Does the program offer classes in the areas you’re interested in, such as international agricultural development?
- Does the school have a strong internship program?
- Does the school have a study-abroad program?
Did You Know?
You don’t need a farming background (you don’t even have to be from a rural area) to do well in agriculture.