Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources: Career Paths

What is Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources?

The Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources career cluster involves the production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing, and development of agricultural commodities and resources including food, fiber, wood products, natural resources, horticulture, and other plant and animal products or resources.

Career Paths

Within Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources, there are seven career paths: agribusiness systems, animal systems, environmental service systems, food products and processing systems, natural resources systems, plant systems, and power, structural and technical systems.

If any of the listed pathways pique your interest, talk to your advisor to see how you can gear your courses and education at WSU to prepare you for a future within these agriculture, food, and natural resources career paths.

1. Agribusiness Systems

The agribusiness systems pathway includes occupations involved in the coordination of all activities that contribute to the production, processing, marketing, distribution, financing and development of agricultural commodities, plant and animal products, and other natural resources.

2. Animal Systems

The animal systems pathway includes occupations related to the raising and caring of animals and developing more efficient ways of producing and processing meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. Workers study genetics, nutrition, reproduction, growth and care of domesticated farm animals. Includes workers who provide medical service to farm and nonfarm animals.

3. Environmental Service Systems

The environmental service systems pathway includes occupations involved in water and air pollution control, recycling, waste disposal and public health issues. Work includes hazardous-waste management, research, and quality control.

4. Food Products & Processing Systems

The food products and processing systems pathway includes occupations involved in bulk food production, the discovery of new food sources, the analysis of food content, and the development of ways to process, preserve, package or store food according to consumer needs. Includes those who monitor compliance with industry and government regulations.

5. Natural Resources Systems

The natural resources systems pathway includes occupations that develop, use, maintain, manage, and analyze natural resources. Includes catching and trapping various types of marine life. Work might relate to recreation, wildlife, conservation, mining, logging, or oil drilling.

6. Plant Systems

The plant systems pathway includes occupations related to growing food, feed, and fiber crops, and the study of plants and their growth to help producers meet consumer demand while conserving natural resources and maintaining the environment. Work might include nutritional analysis or genetic engineering.

7. Power, Structural and Technical Systems

Power, structural, and technical systems workers apply knowledge of engineering, hydraulics, pneumatics, electronics, power, structures, and controls to the field of agriculture. They design agricultural structures as well as machinery and equipment.

All pathway definitions were gathered from Minnesota State CAREERwise website

By Abigail Kirsten
Abigail Kirsten