Agricultural and Food Scientists Career

* About 14 percent of agricultural and food scientists work for Federal, State, or local governments.
* A bachelor's degree in agricultural science is sufficient for some jobs in product development; a master's or Ph.D. degree is required for research or teaching.
* Opportunities for agricultural and food scientists are expected to be good over the next decade, particularly for those holding a master's or Ph.D. degree.

Nature of the Work

The work of agricultural and food scientists plays an important part in maintaining the Nation's food supply by ensuring agricultural productivity and food safety. Agricultural scientists study farm crops and animals and develop ways of improving their quantity and quality. They look for ways to improve crop yield with less labor, control pests and weeds more safely and effectively, and conserve soil and water. They research methods of converting raw agricultural commodities into attractive and healthy food products for consumers. Some agricultural scientists look for ways to use agricultural products for fuels.


In the past two decades, rapid advances in the study of genetics have spurred the growth of biotechnology. Some agricultural and food scientists use biotechnology to manipulate the genetic material of plants and crops, attempting to make these organisms more productive or resistant to disease. Advances in biotechnology have opened up research opportunities in many areas of agricultural and food science, including commercial applications in agriculture, environmental remediation, and the food industry. Interest in the production of biofuels, or fuels manufactured from agricultural derivatives, has also increased. Some agricultural scientists work with biologists and chemists to develop processes for turning crops into energy sources, such as ethanol produced from corn.

Read more about Agricultural and food scientists career. Training, qualifications, advancement, employment, job outlook, projections data, and earnings in agricultural science.

Source:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos046.htm (visited November 02, 2008). Used by permission.