AgWired

The agriculture industry would probably agree that they are a noble profession. But many on the outside don’t see it that way, especially students getting ready to emerge from college and have started their job search. Yet according to Dr. Scott Vernon, a professor in the Agricultural Education and Communication Department at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, California, the image of agriculture held by outsiders must change if the shortage of skilled candidates is going to be reversed.

Dr. Vernon spoke at AgCareers.com Ag & Food HR Roundtable, the largest event to date. He is the founder of “I Love Farmers, They Feed My Soul” movement, whose mission is to bring agriculture to youth living in urban areas. The industry, says Vernon, needs to begin engaging kids when they are young and continue the outreach through middle school, high school and into college. Kids who participate in these types of programs when they are young get hooked on ag and head to college to study in areas that will allow them to have a challenging and fun career in the industry.

Dr. Vernon says we need to show students the diversity within the industry. “We need to help them understand how they can take their talent or skill or love and passion and find a place in agriculture that we can use that talent, love and passion.” He also notes that in college, he finds that students are coming into the industry via their love of food, environment and business.

He said that while ag is a global industry and very complex, when you get down to it, it’s a people business. It’s all about people and the things they value and the connection to family. Dr. Vernon said that from an HR perspective, they need to understand how to tap into a student’s value system. He stresses if the industry “sells the sizzle,” they will come.

Listen to my interview with Dr. Scott Vernon here: Why Ag is a Noble Profession

Visit the AgCareers.com Ag & Food HR Roundtable photo album.

Ever since Justin Timberlake sang about bringing sexy back, it appears that sexy is making its way back to a lot of things – including, says Rod Hamilton, agriculture. Although he admits that the cheek and tongue comment gets people’s attention and that’s not necessarily the image in which he believes ag should brand itself, he is serious that one reason kids and college students aren’t working toward careers in ag is because they don’t think its a cool industry. But it is.

Rod Hamilton joked about not being sure why he was asked to speak to the over 200 attendees at AgCareers.com Ag & Food HR Roundtable but it only took a few comments for everyone to realize, why in fact, he was perfect. Rod didn’t begin life on a farm. He was sent to a farm to “grow up” and before he knew it he landed a job at Christensen Farms (a pork producer) based in Minnesota. Now the communications manager, he has seen several things: an industry that is not delivering a consistent message nor doing a good job of telling positive stories about itself and a shortage of up and coming talent. He noted that HR managers need to widen their pool of candidates and begin recruiting kids at a younger age to get them excited about agriculture.

Rod is also interesting because he sees an industry that needs more involvement in politics, so to fill the void he became a politician. He is now serving his fifth term in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and he is a member of the Agriculture Committee and served as Minority Lead, Vice Chair and Chair of the Committee. In this role, he has worked with educators throughout the state from elementary school through college as well as members of Minnesota communities who are passionate about where their food comes from, to ensure ag education stays in the classroom. And fortunately for the ag industry, he is just ramping up his career.

I couldn’t help but become excited about the field during his presentation and as the first day came to a close, I realized that if HR managers could bottle his passion for the industry and for kids and sprinkle it on students around the country, there would no longer be a shortage of amazing talent entering the agribusiness industry. But until then, he gave HR managers some great advice on recruiting and retaining talent to the ag industry.

Listen to my interview with Rod Hamilton here: Rod Hamilton Brings Sexy Back to Ag

Visit the AgCareers.com Ag & Food HR Roundtable photo album.