Sustainable Food and Farming: Now What?
Quick Facts: Agricultural and Food Scientists and Specialists
Found on the Occupational Outlook Handbook
- 2021 Median Pay: $74,160 per year; $35.66 per hour
- Entry-Level Education: Bachelor's degree
- Work Experience in a Related Occupation: None
- On-the-job Training: None
- Number of Jobs, 2020: 37,400
- Job Outlook, 2020-30: 9% (As fast as average)
- Employment Change, 2020-30: 3,200
What is Sustainable Food and Farming?
The Sustainable Food and Farming major allows students who are interested in the practical, social, political and scientific issues of sustainable agriculture and food systems to seek a broad exposure to this discipline in the liberal arts tradition. Students can tailor their individual programs to prepare for careers in sustainable farming, policy, advocacy, community outreach and education in topics related to crop production, food access, and hunger issues, as well as many others. Graduates will be qualified to compete successfully for a wide array of emerging careers in the growing field of sustainable food systems.
Where Can I Do an Internship?
- Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
- Just Roots
- Swartz Family Farm
Selection of internship sites advertised by Stockbridge School of Agriculture:
- Abundance Farm
- Backyard Growers
- Bardwell Farm
- Book and Plow Farm
- Boston Area Gleaners
- Broadfork Permaculture
- Clark Organic Farm
- Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)
- Essex Farm
- Fort River Farm
- Foxfire Farm
- Fungi Ally
- Gallatin Valley Botanical
- Green Rivers Farms
- Laughing Dog Farm
- Meeting Place Pastures
- Morning Glory Farm
- Natural Roots Farm Apprenticeship Program
- Nourse Farm
- Nourishing the North Shore (NNS)
- Orchard Hill Breadworks
- People’s Medicine Project
- Sampson Farm LP
- Share the Harvest Farm
- Simple Gifts Farm
- Sirius Eco-Village
- Small Ones Farm
- Stout Oak Farm
- The Farm School
- The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts
- UMass Amherst Student Farm
- UMass Hydrofarm
- Unadilla Farm
- Yard Birds Farm
What Do Employers Look For?
(Source: NACE Job Outlook 2022, Courtesy of the National Association of College and Employers | www.naceweb.org)
Top 10 Things Employers Look for on Your Resume
- Problem-solving skills
- Analytical/quantitative skills
- Ability to work in a team
- Communication skills (written)
- Initiative
- Strong work ethic
- Technical skills
- Flexibility/adaptability
- Detail-oriented
- Leadership
7 Things That Give You an Advantage in the Job Market
- Internship with the organization
- Internship within the industry
- Major
- Leadership position
- General work experience
- Extracurricular activities
- High GPA (3.0 or above)