Many people just think of farming when they think about agriculture, but it?s much more diverse than that. Some agriculturists work in lab coats as scientists, some have grease-covered hands from working on machinery, and some work in communications and tell the story of agriculture. Of course, that last one is especially true here at the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network. In general, there are more and more kids who want to pursue careers in the communications side of agriculture, and that?s why Iowa State University will now be offering an Ag Communications major starting this fall. Mike Retallick, professor and chair of the department of ag education & studies at ISU, said it?s been an option as a minor for a while, but they wanted to elevate it to a full degree.
Communication is needed now more than ever in the ag industry, and Retallick said there?s plenty of students who are interested in promoting agriculture.
The Ag Communications major is the first major they?ve added to their program in over a decade. As a unique combination of journalism, business, and agriculture, Retallick said it took a lot of support to figure out which classes suited the program best.
Whether we like it or not, agriculture is often a hot topic for discussion. That?s why it?s so important to make sure that we have plenty of professional ag communicators who can give consumers the proper information about the industry.
Of course, the Iowa FFA Convention- which is hosted on the campus of ISU- provides a great opportunity for students to gain valuable communication skills with events like the Public Speaking and Ag Broadcasting CDEs, among others. Retallick said this new Ag Communications major will then allow those students to start a career that really plays to their strengths.
Retallick added that there are also plenty of clubs and organizations at ISU for students to participate in.
For more information, visit ageds.iastate.edu.
