Continuing Education in Ag

Agriculture is one of the most diverse industries. It’s pretty much impossible to be an expert in all areas of ag, so there is always more to learn. One of the great things about the ag industry is that there are tons of opportunities to learn and improve your skills. Whether you are a student, a beginning farmer or rancher, or a veteran in the ag industry, here are some ways to learn more about agriculture.

Attending conferences and events

There definitely isn’t a shortage of ag-related summits, conferences, and events that exist around the country with a focus on any interest you could have. If you’re wanting to find an event close to home, look to your local associations and county Extension program.

State and County Extension programs often host a variety of events, including workshops on specific commodities, farm transitions, land rent, and so much more. Topics can vary greatly depending on your location, hot topics in your area and more.

County, state, and national Farm Bureau programs also offer a variety of events. Some of these events are targeted for women in ag, young farmers and ranchers, or they are simply for everyone.

Trade shows and events are another great way to learn more. Many ag-related livestock shows, trade shows, and expos also offer workshops and educational sessions. For example, the World Dairy Expo offers more than 50 different educational events, including seminars, virtual farm tours, industry meetings, and events and more.

Many organizations and companies also host events and conferences that are beneficial to anyone in agriculture. One of the best things to do is check with any associations that you are a part of and find out what opportunities are available to you. You can find an ag event or conference that fits any interest, budget, and willingness to travel.

Courses and certifications

There is also no shortage of courses or certifications to help you keep learning! There are a wide variety of programs offered online or in-person. If you are a Farm Bureau member, you can take advantage of Farm Bureau University courses. These online courses can be completed wherever you are and courses include consumer advocacy, cyber security, political advocacy, sustainability and much more.

Beef and pork producers can benefit from Beef Quality Assurance and Pork Quality Assurance certification. Both of these animal welfare certifications can be completed either online or in-person and teach best practices for handling animals, record keeping, even food safety and much more. There are many other courses and certifications available across all of agriculture.

Other ways to learn

There are some amazing youth programs out there for kids and students to learn more about agriculture.

First, some schools have ag classes that are great for students to be a part of. FFA and 4-H are also great programs that offer a wide variety of learning opportunities for youth and students. These opportunities can vary greatly from events, workshops and summits, to many competitions at local, state, and national levels. Each program also has a good range of opportunities for every interest that an FFA or 4-H member could have.

For college students wanting to get more involved in ag, be sure to take advantage of student discounts to events and membership dues.

One great program for college students wanting to learn more about animal ag and communications is College Aggies Online. It’s a really great program, not only awards scholarship money to participants, but provides education and mentorship to college students. Also be sure to look into agricultural clubs and organizations that exist on your campus.

Another great way to learn more is through mentorship. Agriculture is an industry full of great people, who are often willing to help each other out. One of the best ways to learn is through experience, so reach out to someone that you can learn from. Sometimes even a farm tour or asking a few questions can help you more than you’d think.

There are tons of opportunities to keep learning more about agriculture. Between events, educational courses, and certifications, there is something for every interest or area of agriculture. There are also events that fit any budget and willingness to travel. Agriculture is an extremely diverse industry with equally diverse opportunities to learn and grow.