Agricultural education involves classroom, laboratory and field instruction.
Combining a love for the land with a passion for teaching, agricultural educators are an essential link in the process of raising future farmers and employees in related industries. The vocational agriculture teacher interrelates theoretical knowledge with practical, hands-on experience, so her students will understand the whys and hows of food and fiber production. An effective instructor makes this subject exciting and significant.
Vocational/Technical High Schools
Teaching agriculture at the secondary level is a diverse mission. In addition to the hard sciences of chemistry and biology, an instructor may cover material relating to farm accounting or agricultural machinery. The subject of photosynthesis can begin in a classroom lecture, then be demonstrated in the laboratory and finally observed on a campus or nearby farm. Likewise, a farm management class may cover some case studies before engaging in simulated practice. A teacher at this level is sure to cooperate with the local FFA and 4-H chapters, and will need at least a bachelor's degree in agricultural education to commence his career.
Community/Junior Colleges
Agricultural students attending local community colleges begin to think about areas in which to concentrate. Therefore, instructors will also specialize in their subject matter. The agricultural faculty at Pierce College in California, for instance, covers five broad disciplines related to either plants or livestock. Because so many community college faculty are part-time, they may supplement their income in related professions. Educational attainments vary, but a prospective full-timer should think about a master's degree.
Four-Year Colleges and Universities
Faculty at this level are researchers and specialists. Virtually all have doctoral degrees and have written extensively. Andrew Paterson at the University of Georgia, for example, works in the Crop and Soil Science department. Teaching undergraduate and graduate students, he focuses on plant breeding and genomics, subjects involving the genetic make-up of crops. He also directs the university's Plant Genome Mapping Laboratory. This represents the narrow specialization required of the agricultural academician.
Adult/Extension Education
Land-grant universities are chartered not only for teaching and research, but also for outreach to their states. This service is completed through extension offices in most, if not all, counties. A county agricultural agent is often on staff to assist farmers, agricultural vendors and consumers with expert technical information, such as the latest drainage technique or optimal outbuilding placement.
Educational programming is central to the task. Stephen Komar has served in the Sussex County, New Jersey, office of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service. With a background in agronomy, he also developed a state-authorized plan for livestock waste management. This knowledge is presented in workshops and seminars, as well as one-on-one settings.
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