Students Persuade Career Profile Agronomist AKA: Crop Specialist Food badges: Research and Development Tech, Sales and Support Services Holland Code: Persuade My career matters because I go to school to learn all about the science of growing crops and I give farmers advice on different things they can do with their crops, and how to best grow them. It's all about science-based farming! Kira Durston, Cargill In A Nutshell I act as a link between the research community and the farming community. I examine crops and try to figure out what problem could be affecting them and how we can treat them. I work directly with farmers and growers to make plans to maximize their production and harvest. Swipe Potential Salary Range $44,000 - 74,000 Annually Which provinces would this job be in? AB Alberta BC British Columbia MB Manitoba NB New Brunswick NL Newfoundland & Labrador NS Nova Scotia ON Ontario PEI Prince Edward Island QC Quebec SK Saskwatchewan I do a lot of hands-on work in the field! I get to travel to different farms every day, so there’s a lot of diversity in my workplace - which I love. In the winter, I work from a home office and attend conferences and workshops. Workplace Indoor / Outdoor Job Requirements & Duties Scout fields and consult with customers on what I find in the field Talk to researchers to learn about the latest methods for managing pests and diseases Advise farmers on ways to improve their production and profits while considering environmental wellbeing Evaluate new crop varieties and the potential for farmers to use them in their growing programs Look into how soil characteristics and water drainage impact plant growth and decide on crop management strategies that respond to these factors Learn about new crop technologies and train people on how to use them Prepare presentations and speak at training sessions and workshops for farmers and others working in agriculture Conduct research in the field, trialing new products and different seed varieties so that I know what products to recommend to my farmers In the winter, I spend time training my sales team, hosting informative webinars for farmers, and take some training myself so that my skills stay sharp Education & Training In most cases, the minimum education requirement to work as an agronomist is a university undergraduate degree. In most provinces, agronomists must be certified and a member of a professional association. There is lots of opportunity to continue education in the job through classes and training sessions; working with a good company will ensure that you're able to take advantage of those programs if you choose. 100all Job Outlook Science is a very important part of crop production; the outlook for agronomists looks great, as farmers continue to rely on them for guidance. Related School Subjects Science Career Education Social Studies What words come to mind when thinking about this career? Agronomy Crops Research Plants Science Important Skills Analytical Thinking When I walk into a field that has a sick crop, there could be many different things that are making it sick. I need to analyze the environment to figure out what the real culprit is. Artboard 32@5x Problem Solving You never know what to expect when you walk into a field, so you need to be able to solve whatever problems that you may find. Coaching & Mentoring As the person that brings research to farmers, I need to be able to coach producers on how to move forward with their crop in a way that’s applicable and approachable. Public Speaking Part of my role is presenting findings and new technologies to farmers, so I have to feel comfortable speaking in front of a crowd. Swipe The Best Things About This Job Are… Helps Others Independent Work Work Changes Daily Seasonality Has Business Perks Similar Careers Agricultural Scientist Horticulturist Agricultural Business Advisor Helpful Links YouTube - Career Profile: Area Agronomist AgCareers.com: Career Profile - Agronomist ECO Canada: Career Profile - Agronomist Data Science in Agriculture Certified Crop Adviser Agrologists Agronomes Canada snapAG- Soil snapAG- Pesticides: What and Why? snapAG- Glyphosate snapAG- Fertilizer Use Career Glossary Agronomy References District Representative, Government Agricultural Service in Canada. (2020). Agronomist Job Description. (2019). Disclaimer All career information has been gathered from a variety of sources and compiled to provide a general idea as to what each career could entail. Agriculture in the Classroom Canada is committed to doing our best to ensure the information is current and reliable. However, we will not be liable for the accuracy of the information. Please contact us if you notice errors or would like to provide feedback.