Agriculture FRONT
Mia Bostic
Henry Adkins
lives. “Having the opportunity to be an undergraduate research assistant has been an honor and privilege. I worked alongside the Department of Forestry, where we acted on policy and implemented it across the state. It was immensely gratifying. I am taking a gap year to pursue world travel and work part-time as a manager for a local company,” Bostic said. Adkins, who will now complete his master’s in applied economics, said, “this past summer, I interned for Dairy Farmers of America, the largest dairy cooperative in the U.S., working in risk management. This helped provide me with valuable insight into professionalism and work ethic in an office.” The Bachelor of Science in agribusiness offers two undergraduate majors – agribusiness management and veterinary business management. The former allows students to pursue an area of specialization within areas such as agronomy and horticulture while the latter allows students to complete the science coursework required for entry into veterinary college. Agribusiness is just one of the Bachelor of Science degrees that can be obtained from the Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics.
Dr. Dixie Watts Dalton
Dr. Olga Massa
transform it from a raw product on a farm to a finished food, fiber or fuel product desired by consumers,” Massa said. Explained Dalton, “While certain aspects of agribusiness have remained constant through the years, technological advancements will continue to evolve, and the importance of data analytics will continue to grow. This means that employment opportunities will continue to expand. We prepare our students for both traditional and emerging trends in agribusiness.” Farming usually comes to mind when people think of agriculture, but it includes much more. Six U.S. Senators – John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) – recently introduced a bill to expand community college offerings in agriculture education. If fully implemented, the bipartisan bill would authorize funding for community college workforce education, training and research programs.
Dr. Dixie Watts Dalton started as a Virginia Tech faculty member in July 1993. She initially worked in a position that focused on teaching undergraduate agribusiness classes. In her capacity role today, she develops curriculum, teaches and recruits students. Her colleague, Dr. Olga Massa, joined the Virginia Tech family eight years ago.
Imperative to adding more talent in the Ag field is motivating more students to pursue a degree. At the same time, Dalton and Massa are the first to say that the field is not for everyone. “The bachelor’s degree in agribusiness prepares students to enter one of the largest industries in the world that people literally cannot live without: food, fiber and fuel. The degree allows students to concentrate on agricultural finance, farm and agribusiness management, marketing and risk management,” Dalton said.
“People often don’t realize the breadth and depth of the agribusiness industry. Starting with the many products and services that farmers require as inputs to the production process, it also includes everything that must happen to an agricultural commodity, to
Since earning their degree, some members of the Class of ’23 have decided to work as a consultant, some will further their education and others will embark on a different life journey. See more: www.vt.edu/academics/majors/ agribusiness.html or onlinems.aaec.vt.edu. vbFRONT.com / AUGUST 2023 u
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