Undergraduate Programs: Academic Programs
Agricultural Business
This page describes the Agricultural Business degree in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at Colorado State University. In addition to this description, please see the documents box for additional information and planning tools.
The Modern Food and Fiber Industry
The modern food and fiber industry requires a variety of businesses to distribute, process, package, and market agricultural commodities as well as service farming. The agricultural business major at Colorado State University teaches you the operating techniques and business skills used in the food and fiber industry.
You do not need a farm or ranch background to major in agricultural business. In fact, many of our students are from urban areas. Business-oriented students from all backgrounds have found careers in agriculture’s highly diverse industry.
Career Opportunities
If the current trend toward additional food processing and farm services continues, the demand for agribusiness personnel will remain strong, especially in sales, services, and purchasing agent positions.
With a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business, you may find a career with agricultural business firms in production, management, or sales. Opportunities include farm real estate appraisal, agricultural finance, commodity brokerage, commodity merchandising, mortgage brokering, food brokering, landscape contracting, feedlot management, and farm input sales.
Recent Agricultural Business graduates have taken positions with Purina Mills, Cargill, John Deere, American Cyanamid, Continental Grain, Farm Credit Services, ConAgra, Inc., and Monfort. Both the University and the College sponsor fall and spring career fairs and have career centers.
Curriculum
Your studies will include required classes in accounting, agricultural law, principles of marketing, finance, and economics, as well as basic biological and physical sciences. You may also take advanced courses in business subjects for more specialized study. If you are considering continuing on to graduate studies, this major prepares you for further training in
agricultural economics and business administration, as well as other related fields.
You will study businesses that provide farm inputs such as capital, fuel, machinery, fertilizer, and management services. Some examples include Farm Credit Services, commercial banks, farm management companies, farm supply cooperatives, feed mills, machinery dealers, and fertilizer and seed companies. In addition, you will study businesses that distribute, process, and retail agricultural commodities including grain elevators, slaughterhouses, farm real estate firms, bakeries, egg processors, canners, trucking companies, breweries, fresh produce centers, food distribution centers, food wholesalers, food retail companies, and restaurants.
Internships
Internships provide students with opportunities to observe and develop management skills and to gain professional experience. The internship experience provides the student with an opportunity to “test” a selected career prior to graduation. Internships are particularly important for students with limited rural/agricultural background. Depending upon the internship selected, students will gain “real world” experience in marketing, production, management, and/or finance in an agricultural business or resource agency. Internships may be paid or unpaid and students may earn college credit for their internship experience.
Clubs
The Agri-Business Association (ABA) is the undergraduate student organization in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. The Club is open to all students, provides leadership opportunities for its members, and complements their academic program with business and industry contact. Club programs are a mix of social activities and agri-business and resource economics speakers. Annual highlights include a spring break trip to visit agricultural business and resource agencies in different regions of the nation and a job search workshop.