Additional Information
There are no educational requirements to become a farmer. A lot of the
training is hands-on. Many people gain experience from a young age on the
family farm.
"Much of the training for this career comes from on-the-job training, even
though there are academic programs that provide training or knowledge," says
David Slaymaker. He is a rancher and he sells baled hay.
Bryan Vanderpol is a dairy farmer. He's been farming since he was eight
years old. All his training has been through experience. He says that young
people can seek out post-secondary school agricultural programs to learn more
about farming.
Many farmers choose to gain more education to help them with scientific
and business decisions. Farming programs include agronomy, dairy science,
horticulture and animal science. Business skills can be developed in accounting,
bookkeeping, economics and marketing.
Clay Chihasz works on a ranch. He is also a senior at the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln. He studies Grazing Livestock Systems (GLS) and Animal Science.
GLS is a combination of animal science, agricultural economics and range management.
"With these majors I should be able to [achieve] successful production
when I graduate and start into the industry myself," says Chihasz.