“So what major are you?”

“I’m studying Agribusniess.”

“Oh, so like, you’re going to be a farmer?”

Time after time, I always seem to get a response along the lines of that above when telling people what my major is. I have to blame the lack of knowledge society has on what role agriculture plays in the world to justify this repetitive remark.

I need to clarify one thing: the agriculture industry impacts your life every single day, whether you know it or not. From the food you eat to the clothes you wear, from the medicine you take to the cars you drive, from the sodas you drink to the alcohol you chase -- agriculture plays a significant part. It is a very broad and vast industry that operates on local, regional, and global scales. Yes, farming makes up a certain percentage of the industry, but really there is so much more.

What about the companies that make supplies and equipment that helps maintain the farmers' fields? What about the companies that buy the commodities from the farmer and process it? What about the companies that then use that processed product and turn it into what the average consumer wants?

That is where my Agribusiness degree comes into play. Someone has run those companies and fill the thousands of jobs that network underneath them. Having a specialization, such as agriculture, within the business realm sets myself apart as a future employee. If I can understand the agriculture market on a more detailed level, I am able to help the company I will one day work for operate at its most full potential.

I have a strong passion for agriculture and truly believe it is a one of a kind industry. Not only is it driven by economic values and social standard, but also it is an ever growing commerce that isn’t stopping anytime soon. As long as people need to be fed, clothed, and cared for, there will be a demand in agriculture.