Agricultural Business & Operations in USA

Agriculture is big business and big opportunities. Eleven percent of total jobs in the United States are connected with the food and agricultural sectors. And in South Carolina, agribusiness is a leading industry, with an annual economic impact of $41.7 billion. These numbers translate to a strong demand and exciting career potential for individuals who have mastered the business and economic skills required to be a leader in agriculture or in the related industries. As an agribusiness major at Clemson, you'll learn how to be that leader. Here, you'll gain the skill set required to secure a high-paying and rewarding job in any area of the food and fiber industry as well as the growing private sectors of national and international agribusiness management, banking, finance, sales, marketing and public relations, among others. Or if you're interested in opportunities with state or federal agencies, you'll be prepared for that as well.

The enterprise management track option within the agricultural business program focuses on the skills necessary for effectively managing animal, horticulture and agronomy-based businesses. The courses within the enterprise management track may be tailored to an animal science, horticulture or agronomy focus.

The Department of Agriculture and Nutrition Science strongly recommends that students complete the following courses as part of their General Education, as they are prerequisites for required major courses and/or requirements for graduation. Students who do not complete these courses as part of General Education can potentially add additional credits and time to their degree. 

The agribusiness industry accounts for nearly one-fifth of the U.S. gross national product and employs close to one-fourth of the U.S. labor force. There is a continuing strong demand by agribusiness firms, ranging from large multinational corporations to emerging food manufacturing and input supply firms, for highly qualified and better trained employees in both management and the agricultural sciences. Students who have mastered economic and business concepts along with agricultural sciences do extremely well in finding rewarding careers following graduation.

This leading Agribusiness program results in a distinctive degree—Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness. Graduates of this program will be better educated for the world economy of the future and will have enhanced marketability for a wide range of careers. The innovative curriculum provides a common body of knowledge for students in Agricultural Economics and Business Administration. This degree program combines core courses from Agricultural and Applied Economics with business courses in Accounting, Marketing, Management, Finance, and Business Law to provide a strong foundation for careers in management of businesses.

The Agribusiness program is associated with the College of Business Administration; the curriculum includes 14 of the 17 courses required for a General Business degree from the College of Business. In addition, the curriculum includes applications courses in business finance, marketing, commodity trading analysis, real estate appraisal, international trade, and natural resource economics. An emphasis is placed on international employment opportunities with courses at the senior level in international marketing, management, and finance.

The concentration in crop agribusiness is designed for students wanting to combine agronomic production and business management. This concentration prepares students for careers in production and marketing, cropping systems management, and a broad range of multi-functional agricultural enterprises, or for entrance into graduate school.

The goal of this major is to provide students with a breadth of knowledge that will prepare them for entry-level management positions or starting their own enterprise in a variety of rural, land-based, agricultural and/or food-related businesses. Students with this major can expect to find employment in: agribusiness (including nursery and landscaping) firms or farms; financial institutions; or state and federal government agencies dealing with land use, food and agriculture.  Employment in these areas requires the essential components of this major: a broad educational background combined with knowledge of managing natural resource-based businesses. By selecting appropriate coursework in consultation with their advisor, the flexibility of this major provides students with the opportunity to create their own area of expertise or follow course tracks for entrepreneurship, equine management, food science and technology, horticulture, or livestock, as well as to pursue coursework in preparation for graduate school.

Agribusiness includes firms that produce, process, distribute and sell food, fiber and other bio-based products derived from agricultural products. The major in agribusiness and applied economics integrates business and economic principles to prepare graduates to manage, market and finance agribusiness firms in domestic and international markets and to manage the appropriate use of natural resources. Skills gained can easily translate to other fields of business.

The Agribusiness concentration includes the basic courses in business management and agriculture with additional emphasis in agricultural economics.  The student is prepared for a career in many of the agricultural-oriented business and financial institutions.

With a degree in Agricultural Economics, you'll be prepared for careers at the crossroads of agriculture, commerce, public policy and more.  Agricultural Economics enompasses marketing, management, leadership, problem-solving and more - all the skills needed for careers in agribusiness, food industries, international trade, credit/finance, farm management and more.