Undergraduate Programs: Academic Programs
Farm and Ranch Management
This page describes the Farm and Ranch Management concentration within the Agricultural Economics 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.
Farming and Ranching in a Complex Economy
Operating a farm or ranch in modern agriculture requires specialized skills. If your ambitions lie in managing a farm or ranch, the farm and ranch management major at Colorado State University will teach you the skills you will need in today’s complex economy. In addition to a knowledge of technical agricultural production techniques, you will learn more specialized skills in management, decision-making, and agribusiness. However, if you are interested in pursuing a career in a related field, this major also provides a broad basis of knowledge for many jobs associated with farming and ranching.
Career Opportunities
The farm and ranch management major prepares you for a career in agricultural services, agricultural production and food distribution of large or small firms, and farm and ranch operations. Moreover, those interested in agricultural production and management specialist positions should consider that in the future these jobs are expected to go primarily to graduates with farm and ranch training.
In addition, you may also explore careers as a salesperson, service representative, or purchasing agent, as well as farmer, rancher, farm manager, farm labor supervisor, herd manager, livestock buyer, grain elevator buyer, elevator operator, marketing manager, or sales manager.
Finally, you may choose from positions in administration, management, and financial advising including jobs as agricultural credit officer, commodity broker, and farm loan inspector.
Recent farm and ranch management graduates have taken positions with Farm Credit Services, Purina Mills, John Deere, ConAgra, Inc., American Cyanamid, Continental Grain, and Cargill. Both the University and the College have a Career Services office and sponsor career fairs in the spring and fall.
Curriculum
Your classes in the farm and ranch management major will focus on the background you will need for profitable decision-making in the management and operation of commercial farms and ranches. These courses include farm management, ag marketing, ag finance, accounting, economics, business operations, farm and ranch record analysis, biological and physical sciences, and technical agriculture. The coursework you select may either concentrate in a specialty of your choice or represent a broad spectrum of study.
In addition, you will study problem solving in farm and ranch businesses to learn to make sound management decisions. Concepts and skills developed include identification of management problems, efficient production techniques, capital financing, acquisition and efficient use of agricultural resources, and analysis methods using computer techniques.
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.