A study of the workforce training needs for the agribusiness industry in Georgia : final report

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia
FINAL REPORT
Prepared for the Office of Economic Development, University System of Georgia (USG) 270 Washington Street, S. W. Atlanta, GA 30334
Conducted by the Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development (CAED), University of Georgia
Prepared by
Rusty Brooks, Ph.D., Professor Archie Flanders, Ph.D., Economist Marcia Jones, Ph.D., Public Service Associate Sharon P. Kane, Public Service Associate John McKissick, Ph.D., CAED Director Tommie Shepherd, Ph.D., Agribusiness Economist
201 Conner Hall Athens, GA 30602 (706) 542-2434 www.caed.uga.edu
August 2008
Copyright 2008 All Rights Reserved University of Georgia Research Foundation Athens, GA 30602

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... ix
Sponsorship and Purpose of Study................................................................................................ ix
Outline of Report ............................................................................................................................. ix
Summary of Findings ....................................................................................................................... x
Overview of Recommendations Made ........................................................................................... xi
Future Implications ........................................................................................................................ xiv
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ xv
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study...................................................................................... 1 - 8
Project Overview ............................................................................................................................. 1
Project Objective ............................................................................................................................. 2
Research Methodology .................................................................................................................... 2
Background ................................................................................................................................ 2 Survey Participants .................................................................................................................... 3 Secondary Data.......................................................................................................................... 4 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 4 Data Issues and Words of Caution ............................................................................................ 5 Definition of Terms ..................................................................................................................... 6
Defining college-educated ................................................................................................. 6 Defining the Agribusiness Sector ......................................................................................... 6 Defining the Aggregated Regions ........................................................................................ 7
Relevant NAICS codes.................................................................................................................... 7
Relevant CIP Codes ........................................................................................................................ 8
Chapter 2: The Economic Significance of the Agribusiness Industry ............................. 9- 22
Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 9
The U.S. National Picture .............................................................................................................. 10
The Economic Impact of Georgia Agribusiness ............................................................................ 14 Production and Employment Trends ........................................................................................ 14 Employment Concentration and Competitive Advantage ........................................................ 18
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 22

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Chapter 3: The Demand for a CollegeEducated Workforce in Georgia's Agribusiness Industry ......................................................................................................... 23 - 38 Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 23
Trends in Georgia`s Workforce, by Sectors and Agribusiness Subsectors .................................. 23
Georgia Employment - all Sectors and Educational Levels ................................................... 24
Long term Projected Trends in the Agribusiness Labor Market .................................................... 27
What Agribusinesses Want from Georgia`s Higher Education System Survey Findings........... 29
Overview................................................................................................................................. 29 Current Size of College-educated Workforce......................................................................... 31 Projected Trends in Employment ........................................................................................... 35 Workplace Needs derived from Survey Responses .............................................................. 35
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 37
Chapter 4: The Supply of College Educated Workers for Georgia's Agribusiness Industry ......................................................................................................... 39 - 48 Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 39
Current Capacity within the USG .................................................................................................. 40
Assessing Agribusiness Labor Availability .................................................................................... 42
Degrees Conferred USG: Agribusiness-Related Degree Programs ...................................... 43 Agricultural-related Programs in Context ............................................................................... 45
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 48
Chapter 5: Projected Employment Opportunities and Potential Gaps ........................... 49 - 62 Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 49 Workforce Gap Analysis................................................................................................................ 50 An Alternative View of the State Labor Market Picture ................................................................. 51 Assessing the Georgia Agribusiness Labor Market for College-educated Workers ..................... 52 Future Job Growth......................................................................................................................... 54 Survey Data the Search for Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities ..................................................... 57
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 62
Chapter 6: Implications and Recommendations............................................................... 63 - 85 Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 63
Agribusiness Employers` Workforce Perspectives........................................................................ 63

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Some Specific Strategies/Recommendations ............................................................................... 67
Build Stronger Public/Private Partnerships ........................................................................... 67 Promote the Business Side of Agribusiness ......................................................................... 69 Expand Opportunities for Hands-On Learning ...................................................................... 73 Introduce More Flexibility in Curricula and Program Design ................................................ 75 Establish a USG Workforce Development Strategy...............................................................78
A Note about Funding ................................................................................................................... 84
Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 84
References .................................................................................................................................... 86
Appendices.................................................................................................................................... 88
List of Tables
Table 2.1 U.S. Agribusiness Employment and Output, by Category, 2006 ............................. 10
Table 2.2 Georgia Agribusiness Employment and Output, by Categories, Georgia, 2006........................................................................................................... 14
Table 2.3 Economic Impacts of Georgia Agribusiness by Major Economic Sectors, 2006 ........................................................................................................... 14
Table 2.4 Total Economic Impacts of Georgia Agribusiness, 2006 ......................................... 15
Table 2.5 Annual Comparison of Farm Gate Value, 1999 - 2007............................................ 15
Table 2.6 Farm Gate Value of Top Ten Commodities, by Commodity, Georgia, 2007........................................................................................................... 16
Table 2.7 Georgia`s Rank Among Agricultural Producers in U.S., 1990 2006 ..................... 17
Table 2.8 Share of Total Employment for Select Agricultural Commodities, Georgia and U.S....................................................................................................... 18
Table 2.9 Location Quotients for Major Agricultural Commodities, Georgia, 2006.................. 19
Table 2.10 Location Quotients for Major Agribusiness Subsectors, Computed Using IMPLAN ........................................................................................ 20
Table 3.1 Comparison of Hiring Growth and Hires Made, Georgia, 2006 - 2007 ..................... 26
Table 3.2 Long term Growth Projections by Occupation and Education ................................. 27
Table 3.3 Summary of Occupational Growth Rates, Georgia .................................................. 27
Table 3.4 Distribution of Respondents by Primary Agribusiness Subsector............................ 30
Table 3.5 Full Time Positions Requiring a College Degree ..................................................... 31
Table 3.6 Need for Specific Subject Matter for Entry-level Positions....................................... 32

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Table 3.7 Distribution of Responses on Degree Requirements for Those Employers for Whom a Specific Requirement Exists................................................................. 33
Table 3.8 Subject Matter Content for Degree Requirements................................................... 34 Table 3.9 Expectations of Future College Degree Requirements ........................................... 35 Table 3.10 Significance of Skill/Attributes .................................................................................. 36 Table: 4.1 Growth in College Enrollment, U.S. and Georgia .................................................... 39
A: Growth in College Enrollment by Degree, Georgia, 2000 - 2006 B: Growth in College Enrollment by Degree, U.S., 2000 - 2006 Table 4.2 Degree Program Offerings by Discipline, USG ........................................................ 40 Table 4.3 Degree Program Offerings by Award Level, USG ................................................... 41 Table 4.4 Degree Program Offerings by Award level and Institution, USG ............................. 41 Table 4.5 Core and Allied Agribusiness Programs by 2-Digit CIP Codes ............................... 42 Table 4.6 Competitive Business and Leisure Studies Program CIP Codes ............................ 42 Table 4.7 Degrees Conferred by 2-Digit CIP, 2002 - 2006 ....................................................... 43 Table 4.8 Degrees Conferred in Agribusiness as Share of USG, 2002 2006....................... 43 Table 4.9 Degrees Conferred in Agribusiness Programs, 2002 2006 .................................. 44 A: Undergraduate Degrees Conferred, by Type B: Graduate Degrees Conferred, by Type Table 4.10 Programs with No Awards Conferred for 2002 2006 ............................................ 45 Table 4.11 Programs with Either Graduate or Undergraduate Awards Conferred .................... 46 A: Graduate but No Undergraduate Awards, 2002 - 2006 B: Undergraduate but No Graduate Awards, 2002 - 2006 Table 4.12 Evaluation of Program Offerings to Future Growth .................................................. 47 Table 4.13 Likely Source of College-Educated Applicants ........................................................ 48 Table 5.1 Long Term Occupational Projections to 2014 by Industry ....................................... 51 Table 5.2 Long Term Occupational Projections to 2014 by Educational Levels...................... 52 Table 5.3 Long Term Occupational Projections to 2014, Agribusiness Industry by Educational Levels ................................................................................................... 53 Table 5.4 Projected Growth Rates Based On Survey Responses .......................................... 53 Table 5.5 Average Production of Awards by Occupation and Award Levels, USG, 2002 2006...................................................................................................... 54

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Table 5.6 Average Production of Degrees by Occupation and Award Levels, USG, 2002 2006...................................................................................................... 55
Table 5.7 Comparison of Supply and Demand for College-Educated Workers, by Occupational Cluster .......................................................................................... 56
Table 5.8 Projections of Anticipated Changes in Technology and Innovations by Agribusiness Employers ..................................................................................... 58
Table 5.9 Examples of Types of Anticipated Changes in Technology and Innovations by Agribusiness Employers ..................................................................................... 58
Table 5.10 Recruitment Strategies Employed by Survey Respondents ................................... 59
Table 5.11 Programs Appropriate to Responding to Future Recruitment Needs ..................... 59
Table 5.12 Effect of the Quantity and Quality of Graduates on Business Expansion ............... 60
Table 5.13 Summary of Issues Raised by Respondents that Limit Business Expansion......... 60
Table 5.14 Impact of Employee Characteristics on Recruitment and Retention ...................... 60
Table 5.15 Difficulties Experienced in Filling Vacant Positions................................................. 61
Table 5.16 Interest in Educational/Training Programs for Current Employees......................... 61
Table 6.1 Recommendations from Agribusiness Employers to Improve System Responsiveness Through Changes in Degree Programs and Curricula ............... 64
Table 6.2 Additional Workforce Issues to be Considered by the University System in Ensuring Responsiveness to Agribusiness Workforce Needs ............................ 66
Table 6.3 Top 5 Programs Helpful to Future Agribusiness Growth ........................................ 76

List of Charts
Chart 2.1 Value of Production in U.S. Agricultural Sector (final output), 1990 2006 ............................................................................................................. 11
Chart 2.2 Distribution of Total Employment by Major Category, U.S., 2006........................... 11
Chart 2.3 Comparison of Output and Employment Distribution, by Major Category, U.S., 2006 ............................................................................................................... 12
Chart 2.4 Comparison of Levels of Productivity in U.S. and Georgia Agribusiness ................ 13
Chart 2.5 Distribution of Output and Employment by Category, Georgia, 2006 ..................... 15
Chart 2.6 Distribution of Farm Gate Production by Commodity Group, Georgia, 2007 .......... 16
Chart 2.7 Georgia`s Share of U.S. Value of Production in Agriculture, 1990 2006 .............. 17
Chart 2.8 Location Quotients for Manufacturing Products, Based on Agricultural Commodities, Georgia, 2006 ............................................................... 20

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Chart 2.9 Location Quotients by Selected NAICS Codes for Agribusiness Employment Concentrations, Georgia.......................................................................................... 21

A: Georgia LQ Values Greater than 1 B: Georgia LQ Values Less than 1

Chart 3.1 Distribution of Quarterly Employment by Industry, Georgia July 2006 to June 2007............................................................................................................ 24

Chart 3.2 Georgia Agribusiness Industry Employment Growth (in %), 2006 2007.............. 25

Chart 3.3 Georgia Agribusiness-Related Manufacturing Employment, July 2006 to June 2007................................................................................................................ 25

Chart 3.4 New Hires in Georgia as Percent of Employment by Industry, July 2006 to June 2007 ........................................................................................... 26

Chart 3.5 Top Ten Agribusiness-Related Occupations: Fastest Growing Occupations in Georgia ................................................................................................................ 28

Chart 3.6

A: Growth Rates (in %), 2004 - 2014 B: Growth (in Numbers), 2004 - 2014
Geographic Location of Survey Respondents ........................................................ 29

Chart 3.7 Distribution of Respondents by Broad NAICS Categories ...................................... 30

Chart 3.8 Percentage of Full Time Positions Requiring a College Degree ............................. 31
Chart 3.9 Distribution of Responses by Need for Specific Subject Matter.............................. 32
Chart 3.10 Distribution of Responses to Degree Field Requirement ........................................ 33
Chart 3.11 Top Five Skills/Attributes Identified as Requirements by Survey Respondents ................................................................................................ 35

Chart 3.12 Bottom Five Skills/Attributes Required by Survey Respondents ............................ 36

Chart 3.13 Comparison of Projected Demand for Labor by Educational Levels: Agribusiness and Overall Economy............................................................ 37
Chart 5.1 Projected Gap in Georgia`s Agribusiness Labor Market for College-Educated Workers, by Occupational Cluster, to 2014 .............................. 57

List of Appendices
Appendix A: Comparison of NAICS Codes to Define the Agribusiness Industry for this Study and Those Included in the Commission for a new Georgia`s (CNGA) Report....... 89
Appendix B: Summary of NAICS Codes Included in the Study .................................................. 92
Appendix C: Crosswalk: Workforce Investment Area (WIA) to Aggregated Regions/ Service Delivery Regions (SDR) ............................................................................ 93
Appendix D: List of Relevant CIP Codes Core and Allied Programs ....................................... 96

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Appendix E: Long-Term Occupational Projections to 2014, Georgia, by SOC Code .................. 99
Appendix F: Occupational Characteristics by SOC Codes ........................................................ 102
Appendix G: Degree Programs Offered, University System of Georgia ................................... 107
Appendix H: Degrees and Certificates Conferred, University System of Georgia, 2002 2006 .......................................................................................................... 114
Appendix I: Summary of Responses to Survey Questions, Georgia Agribusiness Needs Assessment Survey ................................................................................... 118
Appendix J: Responses to Degree and Curricula Changes Needed to Improve USG Responsiveness ............................................................................ 128
Appendix K: List of Additional Workforce Issues to be Considered by the USG in Responding to Agribusiness Workforce Needs .................................................... 132

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Executive Summary
Sponsorship and Purpose of Study
In an effort to better link the University System`s intellectual capital to the needs of Georgia`s agribusiness enterprises, the University System of Georgia`s Office of Economic Development (OED) commissioned the Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development (CAED) at the University of Georgia to conduct an Agribusiness Workforce Needs Assessment. As part of the project, a survey was conducted to gather information about the industry`s current and future workforce needs and the types of skills required to support economic growth in the State. Specifically, the research was designed to ascertain the college-educated workforce needs of the agribusiness industry and the System`s ability to meet those needs.
The Broad Focus: What are the agribusiness workforce needs?
Rationale: To ensure that degree programs within the University System are relevant to the current and future needs of the agribusiness industry.
As part of those efforts, this report summarizes the findings of the study completed by the CAED regarding the workforce needs of the agribusiness industry and includes the results from the survey administered to agribusiness stakeholders. The survey allowed participants the opportunity to identify their current and future workforce needs and served as the basis for the evaluation of current programs and future needs.
Outline of Report
This report provides the findings of the research study and an analysis of the data reflecting the current and future demand for and supply of college-educated workers in Georgia`s agribusiness sector. The study includes the following
A discussion of Georgia`s economy and the significance of agribusiness to the economic health of the State.
An inventory of degree programs and a gap analysis of the supply of college-educated workers relative to industry demand. This includes an assessment of how well current degree programs match current and future workforce needs.
An analysis of the graduation data by CIP and degree award level within the University System of Georgia.
The results of a survey of agribusiness employers` needs for college-educated workers and the desired knowledge, skills and attributes necessary to meet those workforce needs.
The development of recommendations for future programs and the identification of some best practices` from other institutions of higher education.

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The report is organized into six chapters as follows:
Chapter 1 Introduction to the Study
Chapter 2 The Economic Significance of the Agribusiness Sector
Chapter 3 The Demand for a CollegeEducated Workforce in Georgia`s Agribusiness Industry
Chapter 4 The Supply of College Educated Workers for Georgia`s Agribusiness Sector
Chapter 5 Projected Employment Opportunities and Potential Gaps
Chapter 6 Implications and Recommendations
Summary of Findings
Labor Market Analysis and Recommendations
The demand side of the market for college-educated workers in the agribusiness sector will be influenced by two factors:
1. The estimated numbers of workers needed to produce the projected demand for agribusiness products and services (quantity of labor demanded); and
2. The ability of the higher education system to graduate a college-educated workforce that reflects the kinds of skills sought by agribusiness employers (quality of labor demanded).
The quantity of labor demanded is calculated by the Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) as the total annual openings from two sources:
1. Employment growth from the creation of new jobs/positions due to business expansion.
2. Replacements- due to such factors as retirement, relocation, or labor shifts to other occupations and industries.
Both sources of jobs play an important role in the growth of the workforce in Georgia`s agribusiness sector. Analyses conducted by the DOL provide projections as to the number of jobs required each year over a ten-year period to meet the state`s economic demand. These projections are made on the basis of the typical or average education and training requirements necessary to fill those job openings. For Georgia`s economy, growth in total job openings in the agribusiness industry is projected to increase about 1.4% per year into 2014. Workforce growth projections for demand for college-educated workers in the agribusiness industry are slightly higher, at an annual growth rate of 1.5%. The conclusion to be drawn from the DOL projections is that occupations that require postsecondary education (awards of certificates and degrees) will grow faster than the state average for all occupations. This growth will be led by job openings (from growth and replacements) of more than 1,400 for persons with bachelor`s degrees or higher.
On the supply side of the market, the USG currently offers 151 degree programs and majors in agribusiness and allied disciplines ranging from certificates of less than one year to doctoral degrees. The majority of these (79) are offered at the University of Georgia. Although agribusiness degree programs are also offered at Fort Valley State University and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, agribusiness employers had greater success in hiring University of Georgia graduates than those from the other two institutions. It should be noted that this difference in success rates reflects

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only the number of graduates hired and is not indicative of the quality of the graduates or of their performance in the workplace. The source of the difference appears to be based on the total number and types of programs offered, the numbers of students matriculating through the programs, and the relatively shorter period over which some programs have been available at Fort Valley State University and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Considering all award levels, the System graduated an average of 754 students in core and allied agribusiness programs over the 2002 - 2006 academic years, a small portion of the System's average annual graduates of more than 42,000 over the same period.
Recognizing that studies of labor market trends are imprecise and largely influenced by the validity of the economic assumptions made and the quality of the available data, the study elected to analyze the data in terms of the implications emanating from the trends rather than estimating precise quantitative labor market gaps. Using three different economic assumptions about the labor market, the analysis consistently predicted an agribusiness labor market mismatch in the form of a shortage of job seekers who hold at least a college degree. Some of this labor imbalance (where the number of potential job applicants is projected to fall short of the projected number of job openings) may be corrected by in migration of college educated workers from other parts of the U.S. Indeed, agribusiness employers surveyed indicated that, following the University of Georgia and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Auburn University was a major source of recruits for available agribusiness positions that required a college education. Addressing such labor shortages will require the establishment and expansion of effective public/private partnerships with agribusiness industry employers to respond to and anticipate forthcoming changes in the labor market. While the agribusiness sector is expected to grow at a rate of only 0.2% annually until 2014, the size of that industry means that an additional 9,000 jobs will be created annually due to growth and replacement to the year 2014. Of that amount, 15% will require an associate`s degree or higher, creating positions that could be filled within the State by ensuring an adequate supply of college graduates with the requisite technical knowledge and professional skills.
Results from the survey of agribusiness employers provided much insight into the qualitative analysis by identifying those soft` skills that are critical to the composition and size of the agribusiness workforce and that influence the quality of labor demanded. From the results, it is evident that one of the challenges that must be faced in the agribusiness labor market is the gap between the skills needed by agribusiness employers and the curriculum content of major agribusiness-related degree problems. Although satisfied with the level of technical knowledge provided in the college education received by employees, employers were less pleased with the professional skills demonstrated by their college-educated workers, noting particular shortcomings in the levels of team building, initiative, leadership, and communication skills demonstrated by their college-educated workforce. Employers appeared to be more concerned about the quality of college-educated applicants in terms of the match between their skill sets and the job requirements than of the quantity of graduates in the labor pool. Although no severe labor shortages were projected in the System`s ability to meet the demand for college-educated labor in the agribusiness sector, what may be the bigger challenge is meeting the industry`s needs for critical thinking skills, leadership/initiative, and communication skills in new hires. Most respondents indicated that the growth of their companies was not limited by either the quality or quantity of graduates produced in Georgia. However that level of satisfaction does not transfer to their perceptions about graduates` skills or with the depth of preparation provided by an otherwise knowledge-based curriculum.
Overview of Recommendations Made
Without question, Georgia`s agribusiness industry has played, and will likely continue to play, a critical and strategic role in sustained economic growth in the State. However, changes in the structure of the State`s economy, due largely to national and global economic shifts, will result in substantial changes in the structure of production. This has already been observed in textile and apparel manufacturing where job losses had led to changes in the relative share of those

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enterprises in the State`s economy. Considerations of workforce demand and supply conditions cannot ignore these shifts over time and their impacts on projections made over a ten year span. As Georgia`s competitive advantages change with national and global competition, the link between higher education and industry needs will be all the more important in ensuring that graduates possess the skills and knowledge needed to support changing industries. To support these changes, the following recommendations are offered:
A. Build Stronger Public/Private Partnerships
This would necessitate an enhancement of the connection between the agribusiness industry and the higher education community through more transparent communication channels that allow for clear and frequent discussion of the issues so as to identify and implement effective solutions.
Best Practices Recommended for Adoption
Establish faculty and student relationships with professional organizations such as the University Food Industry Coalition to provide additional opportunities for faculty and student research.
Create an interdisciplinary research program that connects faculty to industry leaders to identify and explore agribusiness-related issues and concerns.
Establish and/or enhance relationships (through a designated liaison) with the USDA`s Student Career Experience Program to provide internship and job opportunities for students and graduates.
Establish and/or expand opportunities for academia and industry representatives to interact on relevant industry developments and needs. These discussions can be facilitated through seminars and workshops.
Develop a catalog of industry leaders, by enterprise/commodity, who might be available, across the State, to serve as guest lecturers, hosts for interns, volunteers on advisory boards, etc.
B. Promote the Business of Agribusiness
Employers` requests for more generalized knowledge of the business side of agribusiness could be accommodated by incorporating management and entrepreneurship training across the curriculum, in a manner similar to the internationalization initiative implemented several years ago. The message from employers of the need to refocus attention away from a heavy reliance on learning the text book material toward the development of such skills such as initiative, problem-solving, and collaboration should not go unheeded.
Best Practices Recommended for Adoption
Develop an introductory class on the economics of agribusiness at the freshman level that lays the foundations of agribusiness principles. Can be team taught as an elective in Area B and taught in agribusiness or business colleges.
Require a capstone course designed with the objective of integrating the agribusiness curriculum through hands-on applications, research, oral and written presentations, and case analyses.
Incorporate business and management concepts into existing production/technical courses so that students understand the application of the technical knowledge to the management of the enterprise.

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Develop interdisciplinary courses that can be cross listed across campus that integrate agriculture and agribusiness concepts through case studies, applied research, and group/team approaches.
Introduce an interdisciplinary, introductory seminar course on Georgia's Strategic Industries at the freshman level that discusses Georgia`s economy, the challenges and opportunities available in those industries, and the degree programs within those industries.
C. Expand Opportunities for Hands-on Learning
The development of professional skills could be enhanced in program curricula through more hands-on learning opportunities such as internships, job shadowing, and cooperative employment experiences that allow students the opportunity to interact with industry professionals.
Best Practices Recommended for Adoption
Introduce a required introductory agribusiness orientation course for students admitted into the major/minor. It could also serve as an elective and recruitment tool for undeclared students.
Given the significance attached to this experience by employers, explore the addition of handson student learning experiences through a practicum course or a required internship in the major.
Introduce a Professional Practices Course` that allows students to identify the soft skills with the technical knowledge needed to succeed within their career fields.
Incorporate more interactive instructional methods into major classes that allow for discussion and team projects, analysis of case studies, computer simulations, etc. in applying business concepts to agricultural-related problems.
Revamp programs offered through career services offices that prepare students for careers by expanding program offerings to include enhancement of soft skills in addition to resume writing and interviewing techniques.
D. Introduce More Flexibility in Curricula and Program Design
This recommendation sprung from the perception among some survey respondents that current degree programs are too subject-matter specific and that employees needed a broader range of expertise to succeed in the current agribusiness climate.
Best Practices Recommended for Adoption
Explore the development of additional course work/electives in programs not currently available across the University System. The development of new business or agribusiness courses should focus on those fields where interest is highest among employers and for which institutions nationwide have experienced steady or increasing enrollments in the most recent years.
As an alternative to the previous recommendation, efforts should be made to redesign existing courses to incorporate emerging topics in agribusiness such as the legal, ethic, and political environment of agribusiness, sustainable agriculture, and technology and production systems management.
Introduce into degree programs the option for self-designed, interdisciplinary studies majors/minors that allow students the ability to incorporate experimental learning options in

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courses taught by faculty across the university and external to the university (through distance learning technology options).
E. Establish a USG Workforce Development Strategy
The recommendations from agribusiness employers pointed to the need for the University System to develop a comprehensive workforce policy. The goals of such a program should be linked to the goals of the Commission for a New Georgia on workforce development focusing on developing the student from matriculation through job placement and career growth. Given that increases in the supply of graduates is a long-term process of at least three years, on average, beyond the completion of core requirements, the expansion or addition of programs must be forward thinking, looking toward changes at the national level in consumer demand for alternative energy and bioenergy, green` technology, sustainable production methods, and agrotourism.
Best Practices Recommended for Adoption
Modify the University of Georgia`s Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an honors interdisciplinary studies major and extend its availability as an external degree.
Develop a system to track USG graduates as they enter the workforce.
Develop a state-wide internship program.
Create career services centers with enhanced employer-focused missions.
Negotiate cross institutional agreements for collaboration that allow faculty members to enhance their levels of agricultural literacy and develop cross discipline solutions to agricultural problems. Arrangements can also involve faculty exchanges/externships with the business community.
Future Implications
History has clearly demonstrated that labor shortages can and have been mitigated by increases in labor productivity though investments in capital and technology. However, there is no such cure for addressing skills shortages beyond taking the issue head on with proactive solutions that create opportunities to acquire those skills. Participants in the Agribusiness Needs Assessment Survey were very clear in expressing their opinions that these skill shortages are urgent and must be addressed through the expansion of hands-on industry experience provided through internships and similar hands-on learning opportunities. Further, many participants stressed the need for the creation of curricula that are flexible and responsive to changes in the structure of Georgia`s agribusiness industry. Responding effectively to these perceptions and expressed needs will be a critical determinant of the degree to which the University System can effectively meet the needs of agribusiness employers. The results of the study suggest that significant returns on investment can be earned from building agribusiness curricula that marry adaptability to industry changes. However, such flexibility should not ignore the need to maintain the current level of technical and scientific knowledge imparted in the curricula that will be critical to the growth of Georgia`s agribusiness industry. That so few of the respondents depended on resources within the System to meet their recruitment needs or have had any formal contact with the institutions about program design or course content speak to the need for enhanced public/private partnerships between the University System and the agribusiness industry employers. Survey participants frequently echoed the lack of opportunity to provide input into curricula and their interest in reaching qualified applicants in a cost-effective manner. Respondents expressed their gratitude at being afforded the opportunity to express their needs and for the establishment of this initial link between the higher education and business communities. More than half of the 200 survey participants requested a

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copy of the report (77% of the 121 who provided a response to the question) and of the 200 survey participants (83% of the 152 who provided a response to the question) welcomed the opportunity to be contacted further about the study.
Considerations of workforce demand and supply conditions cannot ignore the comparative shifts in production and efficiency over time and the impact of those shifts on labor market projections for the next decade. As Georgia`s competitive advantages change with national and global competition, the link between higher education and industry needs will be all the more important in ensuring that graduates possess the skills and knowledge needed to support changing industries. As labor demand shifts, higher education must stand ready to expand and contract programs and redesign curricula. This point is made clear by Chaffee who stressed the importance of viewing employers as customers of institutions of higher education. As he stated like it or not, and whatever else may be in the mission statement, preparing future employees is absolutely fundamental to the purpose of all postsecondary education.1 That the University System recognizes that role it must play in building the State`s strategic industries has not gone unnoticed. Attempts to enhance those links will be to the benefit of the System`s graduates and the State`s economy. The success of the System`s workforce development efforts will depend, in large part, on its ability to respond to employers` needs.
Acknowledgements
The authors warmly acknowledge the contributions from Stephen Kuzniak and Jonathan Jon Wong, graduate assistants, who assisted in the data collection. In addition, Jon created and maintained information on the project`s web site. Assistance and support from the Georgia Agribusiness Council, especially Mr. Gary Black, proved invaluable in the success of the project in providing reviews, publicizing the project, and endorsing the overall project objectives. Reviews and comments from within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, including those from Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, Dr. Jean A. Bertrand, helped to improve the overall quality of the research. We would be remiss without acknowledging the input from numerous companies, especially Agco Corporation, who contributed so generously of their time and expertise in fine tuning the survey instrument and in participating in focus groups to shape the focus of the research. Appreciation is also expressed to the companies that completed the initial survey from which the final survey instrument was developed and to those who participated in the one-on-one interviews. Recognition is also given to Mr. Joe Hunnings and the help desk at the Food and Agricultural Education Information System (FAEIS) without whose assistance the enrollment data would be far less comprehensive.

1 Chaffee, E. E. (1990). Strategies for the 1990s. In L. W. Jones & F. A. Nowotony (Eds.) New directions for higher education: An agenda for the new decade. San Francisco. Josey-Bass, Nov. 1990, pp. 59-66, cited in Carmelita A. Acciola.

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Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study
Project Overview
The Office of Economic Development (OED) of the University System of Georgia (USG) commissioned the Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development (CAED) at the University of Georgia to conduct an Agribusiness Workforce Needs Assessment to determine the college-educated workforce needs of the agribusiness industry and the System`s ability to meet those needs.
The project grew out of the recommendations from the Commission for a New Georgia, a non-profit corporation appointed by Governor Sonny Perdue and led by CEOs and senior executives from all parts of the State. With a mission to enhance the State`s ability to manage and use its resources, the Workforce Development (WFD) Taskforce, a part of the Commission, found that there was a need for the State to strengthen the connection between the business and education communities by graduating and training potential workers with the skills employers need. It was anticipated that this strengthened connection would improve the responsiveness of the State`s education system to the present and future skill requirements of Georgia`s business and industries. A key finding of the WFD Taskforce was the prediction that the current workforce training system will fail to produce the skilled talent pool that will be critical to Georgia`s future economic growth, a prediction that, if not remedied, could spell trouble for the State`s economic stability and its ability to meet the rising costs of social services. The Commission established a goal of having the agribusiness sector ranked as one of the Nation`s top competitors by 2020. To accomplish this goal, the Commission recognized the need to effectively leverage the State`s human capital and other resources to support the sector`s growth.2
So as to remedy that prediction, efforts ensued to make the educational system more responsive to and supportive of the needs of the strategic` industries, including agribusiness, on which the State`s economic growth depends. A key component of this enhancement process involved obtaining input from agribusiness leaders and tapping into their experience and expertise in creating a relevant framework on which to build the preparedness of the University System`s college graduates for future employment. The intent is to make Georgia`s higher education system a national model of productive connections between higher education and business and industry.3
As part of those efforts, the CAED has now completed the initial study of the workforce needs of the agribusiness industry that provided stakeholders with an opportunity to express their workforce needs and to guide the System in evaluating current programs and future needs.
This report, based in part on that study, explores whether the USG`s degree programs are relevant and can respond to the anticipated changes in workforce demand based on projected changes in the State`s economic structure, particularly in the agribusiness industry. Specifically, this report attempts to answer four key questions and provide recommendations based on the responses to those questions as follows:
What is the likely source and size of future employment demand from the agribusiness industry for college-educated workers?
How does the demand for college-educated workers compare to the supply of graduates produced by the System in key agribusiness degree programs?
2 Commission for a New Georgia Work Force Development Task Force Final Report, October, 2004. Ann Cramer, Chair. p. 8 3 Ibid.

Does the USG have the capacity to support Georgia`s long-term college-educated workforce needs by producing graduates who possess the knowledge and skills desired by agribusiness employers?
What current programs and innovative strategies will be necessary within the USG institutions to respond to the needs of the agribusiness sector so that the knowledge and skills acquired in college by those seeking employment match future employment opportunities?
Project Objective
The main objective of the project is to improve the USG`s responsiveness to the workforce needs of the agribusiness industry by identifying:
1. The types of skills required to support agribusiness economic growth in the State 2. The degree programs offered through USG institutions that reflect the workforce needs of the
agribusiness industry 3. The degree programs and skill set development necessary to reflect the current and future workforce
needs of the agribusiness industry 4. The bottlenecks in the pipeline of post-secondary participants in Georgia with college-degrees and/or
field experience (through internships, cooperatives, apprenticeship programs) 5. Potential degree programs and training solutions to address the potential skills gap likely to result
from the impending retirement of large segments of the agribusiness workforce
Specific goals, as outlined in the service agreement between CAED and ICAPP, include the completion of an inventory of the State`s supply and demand of the agribusiness workforce to determine the collegeeducated workforce development needs of the agribusiness industry and the USG`s current and future ability to meet those needs.
A full inventory of USG institutions` offerings in agribusiness-related disciplines and programs was completed to provide a framework for conducting an assessment of the academic programs currently offered. To support those assessment efforts, the following research activities were undertaken:
1. An estimate of the current and future agribusiness industry college-educated workforce 2. A projection of the future needs (hiring, training, and retraining) for college-educated workers
by Georgia and US agribusiness industries 3. The creation of a listing of current higher education program offerings within the USG to
develop (train and retrain) the relevant workforce 4, The identification of specific, measureable, and attainable recommendations for workforce
education and training in Georgia`s higher education system
The bottom line was to provide decision-makers with the information needed to make decisions about the future development of academic programs that would support Georgia`s agribusiness industry by developing a proficient, well-educated workforce.

Research Methodology
Background:
In preparing this report, the authors undertook research and analysis of secondary labor market and economic data, conducted focus group and individual interviews with Georgia agribusiness leaders, and administered a comprehensive survey to Georgia agribusiness producers among all relevant North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes to address the following questions:

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1. What is the supply of and the demand for agribusiness-trained college graduates?
2. What are the training needs where do gaps exist in terms of demand from agribusiness employers and the current and projected availability of graduates?
3. How would new developments/future trends in the agribusiness industry impact the future labor demand?
4. What are some national best practices that could be adopted and/or modified to suit the needs of Georgia`s agribusiness sector?
In addition to the quantitative analyses of the secondary data, the study included consultation with employers through one-on-one interviews. The interviews were used to supplement and validate the secondary data.
The report examines the agribusiness labor market demand and supply. The labor market demand is computed from industry and occupation growth projections in those sectors within the relevant NAICS codes and for those occupations for which post-secondary education is typically required. The labor market supply is calculated from data on graduation by degree programs within the relevant NAICS codes. Following the analyses of potential gaps in supply and demand within the University System of Georgia, key findings are used to develop appropriate recommendations to address the identified gaps.
The intended goal was to examine long-term projected trends in the demand for college-educated workers for sectors and occupations relevant to the agribusiness industry using data for the period 2000 to 2016. Industry sectors were identified using the 2000 NAICS at the five-digit level for the State`s 12 service delivery regions (as defined below).
Survey Participants:
The researchers sought to identify the major agribusiness companies in Georgia in terms of employment. Since it was not possible to identify the major employers of college-educated workers, major agribusiness employers were selected based on the size of their workforces and/or their memberships in selected agribusiness organizations. The survey sample was drawn from among the top employers from the agribusiness-related NAICS codes using a database purchased from Selectory (a Dun & Bradstreet electronic business database at www.Selectory.com). Surveys were distributed to agribusiness employers with ten or more employees in all relevant NAICS codes (see below for list of relevant codes). In addition, all members of the Georgia Agribusiness Council who were not included in the Selectory database were included among the survey recipients. As a result, surveys were distributed to a total of 1,994 employers, including multiple locations of the same company providing that there was no duplication of product or service among the locations. Following the initial distribution of surveys, reminder postcards were mailed to all recipients who had not yet responded by the follow-up date. All participants were provided the option of completing the survey electronically or using the hard copy questionnaire received by mail. The estimated time to complete the survey was approximately 30 minutes. Unfortunately, the purchased database information was not wholly accurate, resulting in mail returned by the postal services for various non-deliverable reasons, including incorrect addresses. As a result, the total undelivered` surveys were 142. By the end of the survey response date, 200 completed surveys were returned. The response rate is, in part, a reflection of the typically lower rates for blanket mail surveys and the time of year administered. As Pennings et al. reported, June is one of the worst months for [persons involved in agriculture] receiving a mail survey, with January and February being the preferred months for receiving questionnaires. This timing preference is overwhelming, with 63% of the farmers indicating that January or February are the best months to complete a survey.4 Unfortunately, given the project timeframe, the timing was unavoidable. That matter could be addressed in future follow-up research. We are hopeful that

4 See Pennings et al.

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a continuation of this research will afford us the opportunity to solicit information from agribusiness subsectors that we were unable to contact in this phase of the study.
In addition to the surveys, one-on-one interviews were conducted with approximately 10 companies. These interviews sought to obtain more focused information from key employers who might have been hesitant to provide such information in their survey responses. The original intent was to conduct more one-on-one interviews but an unfortunate set of circumstances forestalled those activities. Again, it is our hope that a continuation of this research will afford us the opportunity to contact those companies with whom interviews have not yet been completed.
Secondary Data:
Projections of future demand are based on secondary data provided by various state and federal agencies and the University System of Georgia. Specifically, projections of industry growth combine data from the Georgia Department of Labor, for the period 2004 2014, and the US Department of Labor, for the period 2006 2016 (the latest available data). As such, some assumptions and adjustments were necessary in comparing the two sets of data.
The U.S. Department of Education`s National Center for Education Statistics, the U.S. Department of Agriculture`s Food and Agricultural Education Information System (FAEIS), and the Occupational Supply and Demand System5 were used as the primary sources of enrollment and graduation data as they provided downloadable files from which data analyses could be conducted. Since theses sources rely on institutions to self report the information, the data are accurate only to the extent that such reporting is accurate and timely. In some instances, such as missing data for Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC), University System of Georgia data were used. However, use of the USG files was limited to supplementing missing data since they were not downloadable.
Additional sources of data included the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the US Census Bureau`s County Business Patterns, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Data Analysis:
The methodology used to project demand for labor combined the traditional industry and occupational approaches to labor demand forecasting6 to better suit the particular nature of the research. In essence, the projections are based on occupational trends within the agribusiness industry only, identifying growth and declines by occupations and education requirements where college-level agricultural-related training is most typical. Since the study`s focus is tied to college-educated labor in only one industry, this approach allowed the researchers to focus only on those occupations most relevant to the agribusiness industry. Thus, occupations for which agribusiness training may be applicable but not necessary (such as market and survey researchers, real estate agents, insurance agents, or public relations specialists) are not included in the demand estimates. In addition, training acquired in degree programs outside the relevant agribusiness-related CIP codes but adaptable to agribusiness (such as the traditional business degrees in marketing, management, or accounting) are excluded from the estimates. Much of the analysis will focus on occupations with largest growth rates due to the creation of new positions and net replacements due to labor market attrition.

5 Data on the OSDS site are collected, analyzed, and maintained by the Georgia Career Information Center, Georgia State University for the U. S. Department of Labor. The site is located at http://www.occsupplydemand.org/.
6 The industry approach is based on predicting the labor needed to fill potential positions in those industries for which growth rates are predicted to be highest. The occupational approach calculates labor demand estimates for those occupations projected to reflect the highest rates of growth across industries. Further discussion of these approaches can be found in Lowry et al,

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Data Issues and Words of Caution:7
This study of the State`s agribusiness labor market for college-educated workers is based on projections of future industry and occupational changes. Forecasts of future demand and supply are, at best, only educated estimates based on time series data and informed assumptions about factors that affect labor markets. Such factors may include changes in technology and levels of productivity, consumer demand, and global competition. While the forecasts can be useful tools for policy formulation, the fact should not be ignored that they are based on static assumptions about dynamic future labor market events subject to differing opinions and interpretations among economists. That the labor market is, of itself, dynamic, responding to the volatile consumer goods market is certainly attested to by the current economic conditions. Thus, although it is feasible, and acceptable, to use time series trends to project future labor market variables, it must be noted that the gap analysis is not entirely gospel`. Hence, to determine exact values for shortages (or surpluses) would be more risky than necessary.
It should also be noted that estimates of the available supply do not include the numbers of graduates from institutions within Georgia that are not members of the University System or from institutions outside the State whose graduates may migrate to fill positions in Georgia. In addition, out-migration of USG graduates to other states is not accounted for in the gap analysis. Nor does the analysis reflect the fact that positions requiring a college education as a minimum qualification may be filed, for any number of reasons, by persons lacking such qualifications. Further, while the report includes data on degree completion, no estimate is made of relevant skills acquired in college as reflected in the needs expressed by the survey respondents. In addition, given the wide applicability of business training to agribusiness, the notion of predicting quantities of shortages (or surpluses) with absolute certainty is made more difficult Therefore, the gap may be over or underestimated and should be viewed only as an estimate of the likely trends.
The limitations of economic forecasting are further compounded by data suppression issues existing in the data obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Georgia Department of Labor. State and federal agencies are legally precluded from releasing data at a detailed level if such disclosure would violate the agencies` commitment to preserving the confidentiality of specific companies or individuals. As such, publicly available information for certain sectors of the agribusiness industry and the labor market was suppressed, thereby limiting the researchers` ability to make wholly accurate projections. This is particularly true for estimates of employment openings for master`s trained graduates reported in the Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) data.
Thus, it is advisable that the findings of the gap analysis between future supply and demand in the agribusiness labor market be interpreted in light of the data shortcomings and the limitations of economic forecasting. Assuming no major changes in the conditions under which the forecasts were developed, the analysis serves the purpose for which it was intended; simply as a guide in discussing potential scenarios. Any differences in the supply of and demand for college-educated workers must bear in mind that the labor market is subject to volatility due to the impact of factors outside the purview of this research. Nonetheless, with these constraints in mind, the researchers sought to provide the best estimates of future gaps using the most accurate available data, sound economic modeling theories, and reasonable assumptions about future economic trends. The approach taken in this report was to predict the existence of labor market gaps only in terms of likely scenarios so as to provide a range within which the estimates would fall. In addition, the results of the agribusiness employer survey served as a useful tool to validate the findings based on the economic modeling. The survey data can be interpreted to be a projection of employers` perceptions of future needs based on current economic conditions in 2008. As such, the perceptions, trends, and needs expressed by the survey respondents were used as the primary basis on which the recommendations for change were developed.

7 The discussion about data limitations draws heavily from a similar study conducted in January 2007 by the North Carolina Commission on Workforce Development.

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Definition of Terms
Defining "college-educated":
The report used the 11-category definitions of educational attainment defined by The Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).8 These categories9 are as follows:
1. First professional degree 2. Doctoral degree 3. Master`s degree 4. Bachelor`s or higher degree, plus work experience 5. Bachelor`s degree 6. Associate`s degree 7. Postsecondary vocational award 8. Work experience in a related occupation 9. Long-term on-the-job training 10. Moderate-term on-the-job training 11. Short-term on-the-job training
For the purpose of this report, per instructions from Georgia`s Intellectual Capital Partnership Program (ICAPP) Office, college-educated was defined to include only categories 1 7. However, data on certificate awards and programs (level 7) will be reported separately from degree awards and programs (levels 1-6) in the gap analysis.
Defining the Agribusiness Sector:
Defining the agribusiness sector was no easy task given the myriad of existing definitions. However, for consistency in data analysis, the definition of the agribusiness sector used in this report was partly based on the definition developed by the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). That definition divides NAICS industry groups and components into two categories: i) farm (to include all farming activities in NAICS codes 111-112) and ii) farm-related. The second category is further subdivided into a) closely-related industries; b)peripherally-related"; and c) indirect agribusiness industries. While the ERS definition is fairly consistent with that used in the report, there were some major differences based on Georgia`s economic circumstances and the Commission for a new Georgia`s definition of the agribusiness industry.10 Specific mention should be made of the fact that NAICS codes 3221 (Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills), 3222 (Converted Paper Product Manufacturing), and 3253 (Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing), considered peripheral or indirect` industries by ERS, are included among the closely-related Georgia agribusiness industries for the purposes of this study. These changes are consistent with the Commission for a new Georgia`s definition of agribusiness. In addition, several other closely-related agribusiness industry codes, including agricultural wholesale and retail trade, farm product warehousing, and agricultural finance, were added to the Commission`s definition, consistent with that used by ERS. As with previous studies done by CAED, farm and farm-related employment is defined as industries having 50% or more of their work force employed in providing goods and services necessary to satisfy the final demand for agricultural products.11

8 Downloaded from http://www.bls.gov/emp/optd/optd001.pdf, July 9, 2008 9 According to BLS, a category is defined as the most significant source of education or training needed to become qualified in
an occupation. 10 The exclusions and changes made to the ERS and Commission for a New Georgia`s definitions are contained in Appendix A of
this report. 11 Economic Sectors of the Georgia Food and Fiber System in Flanders et al, May 2008, p. 1

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Defining the Aggregated Regions:
Acknowledging regional differences in levels of economic activity in various agribusiness sectors across the State, the researchers felt it was best to subsume regional differences within aggregated regions. County level data, although more detailed, ignore the migration of labor across counties that may, in part, affect labor market conditions. On the other hand, limiting the analysis only to state level data would assume that labor movements occur freely across regional boundaries. Census data do not support such free flow of labor within the State.12 Thus, the researchers opted to review the data on the basis of the officially-defined 12 service delivery regions, permitting broader application to other studies, including the eight regions used by the Commission for a New Georgia. While some economic data were available only for Workforce Investment Areas (WIAs), a crosswalk was developed to match those WIAs to the service delivery regions.13

Relevant NAICS Codes

There is no single NAICS code that can be used for the agribusiness sector. Based on the definition of the agribusiness sector as above, the relevant NAICS codes were used to identify industries and occupations into groupings for ease of data analysis and presentation.14
1. Crop Production 2. Animal Production 3. Forestry and Logging Operations 4. Other Farming and Farm Support Activities 5. Food, Beverage, Tobacco, Textile, and Leather Manufacturing 6. Wood and Paper Product Manufacturing 7. Agricultural Chemical and Machinery Manufacturing 8. Food Warehousing, Wholesaling, and Retailing Operations 9. Agricultural Support Services and Related Activities (including agricultural finance, risk
minimization, government and education related to agricultural production15, and agricultural consulting16 and trade organizations/associations)
In large part, the groupings included NAICS codes that were consistent with those identified by the Commission for a New Georgia`s Strategic Industries Task Force,17 with a few exceptions as noted in Appendix A. Of particular note is the decision by the researchers to include agricultural wholesale and retail trade and farm product warehousing as part of the agribusiness sector. That decision is based on economic data that reflect employment in those subsectors of nearly 15% of Georgia`s agribusiness workforce.18 This revised definition of the agribusiness industry is consistent with that used by other researchers and agencies, including USDA.19
12 The data are available from the Census Bureau report, County-to-County Worker Flow Files, at http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/commuting/index.html#GA
13 See Appendix C for a copy of the crosswalk table. 14 A full list of the NAICS codes associated with each category is reported in Appendix B of this report. 15 Respondents included in this category ranged from employees of state and federal agencies associated with agricultural
production, marketing, regulation, and compliance to agricultural extension agents. 16 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, agricultural consultants, offer technical expertise, information, contacts, and tools
that clients cannot provide themselves including marketing finance, human resources, and regulatory compliance. http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs037.htm. 17 Strategic Industries Task Force Final Report. Downloaded from http://newgeorgia.org/newsletters/Strategic%20Industries%20Final%20Report.pdf, July 9, 2008. The full list of NAICS codes are contained in Appendix B of this report. 18 Data based on estimates developed by economists in the Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, University of Georgia. 19 Further discussion is available from Flanders et al, May 2008.

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Relevant CIP Codes
The report used the 2000 Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) codes to identify those degree programs most directly related to the agribusiness sector as defined by the included NAICS. Following the development of the initial list of codes, data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) were used to identify only those programs with graduates since 2000 for the State of Georgia and competitor schools in Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee. As a result of that process, 36 CIP codes were used in the report to reflect supply of graduates since 2002.20

20 A complete list of the relevant CIP codes is available in Appendix D. A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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Chapter 2: The Economic Significance of the Agribusiness Industry
Introduction
In its report to the Governor, the Strategic Industries Taskforce of the Commission for a New Georgia recommended that the State focus on the agribusiness sector as one of its strategic industries as part of the State`s strategic approach to economic development.21 That recognition is based on the sector`s contribution to the State`s economy, both in terms of the value of production and the level of employment within the sector. Agriculture and the businesses that process the raw materials used or produced by farmers have long been a key part of both the national and State economies. While the number of persons employed in direct farm production has declined, the total employment of persons in agribusiness continues to support the economies of both the U.S. and Georgia. It is no wonder then that the Taskforce recognized the economic significance of the agribusiness sector to the future economic growth of the State. Agricultural production and related agribusiness have and will continue to rank as one of the State`s top industries.
As previously discussed, the agribusiness sector 22is defined to include the primary agricultural sector of crop and livestock production and greenhouse, nursery, and forestry operations. In addition, the definition also includes those sectors of the economy that depend on agricultural output to support their economic activities or provide inputs used in agricultural production or distribution. Input sectors include those sectors and industries such as agricultural chemical and farm machinery manufacturers, agricultural support service providers including extension, veterinary services and farm financing. Forward links exist between farm production and those processing industries that use agricultural raw materials as inputs. Such industries include meat slaughtering, food, beverage, leather, textile, and tobacco manufacturing, food warehousing, wholesaling, and retailing, and pulp and paper manufacturing.
In addition to the direct economic impact generated by the agribusiness sector through production and employment that reflect the direct impact of agribusiness activities on the level of activity in the overall economy, one cannot ignore the indirect impact of agribusiness, through the ripple or multiplier effects that increases in agribusiness activity have on other sectors of the economy; as agribusiness activity increases so does the level of activity in other industries with whom these businesses do business. In addition, as income increases in the agribusiness sector, expenditures on goods and services produced by other sectors also increase, stimulating the overall level of economic activity. Thus, the agribusiness sector cannot be viewed in a vacuum in considering the economic significance of that sector to the national and state economies. The inclusion of the multiplier effects gives a more complete picture of the overall contribution of the agribusiness sector to the national and state economies.23

21 Strategic Industries Taskforce Report, pp.7 - 8 22 As the agribusiness sector is sometimes referred to as as the Food and Fiber industry, some data will be reported in that
manner. 23 The following summary on multipliers is extracted from Economic Multipliers: How Communities: Can Use Them for Planning.
Wayne P. Miller, Extension Economist, University of Arkansas: Multipliers are simple ratios of total to initial change, numerous economic multipliers are easy to calculate (see Appendix A). Four multipliers are commonly used to assess impacts of an initial increase in production resulting from an increase in sales, usually called final demand in multiplier analysis. The four are: (1) Output, (2) Employment, (3) Income and (4) Value Added Multipliers. Multipliers usually range between 1.0 and 3.0 and vary by the amount of economic activity within an area and by the interaction of industries within the area. The more inputs purchased locally and the more consumer expenditures at local shops, the higher the multiplier. The larger the area, the more economic activity will likely occur within the area. See http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publications/PDF/FSCDD-6.pdf

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The U.S. National Picture

The agribusiness sector is estimated to generate almost $1,975 billion in output for the U.S. economy and employ more than 12 million people. As seen in Table 2.1, those numbers represented approximately 8% and 7% respectively of the total value of output for 2006.24 These numbers represent the direct economic impacts of the agribusiness sector, excluding the multiplier effects on other sectors of the economy.

Table 2.1 - U.S. Agribusiness Employment and Output, by Category, 2006

Sector
Crop Production Animal Production Forestry and Logging Operations Other Farming and Farm Support Activities1 Food, Beverage, Tobacco, Textile, and Leather Manufacturing Wood and Paper Product Manufacturing Agricultural Chemical and Machinery Manufacturing Food Warehousing, Wholesaling, and Retailing Operations2 Total Agribusiness25 Agribusiness Percent of Economy

Employment
1,516,904 1,329,165
140,814 1,926,333 1,832,758
932,965 136,455 4,229,095 12,044,490
7

Output -In $ M-
130,759 124,889
39,507 87,546 827,843 271,617 86,643 406,145 1,974,950
8

1 Includes landscape services.

2 Food, drink, tobacco, and alcohol only.

Source: IMPLAN model estimates, CAED26
_________________

The performance of the farm producing subsector is of tremendous significance to the overall performance of the agribusiness sector because farm production is intricately intertwined with the rest of the economy. In addition, consumption of agricultural products, either in direct or processed forms, further adds to the economic impact of agribusiness activity.

24 Estimates were derived by economists with the CAED using input-output (I/O) modeling developed from the Minnesota IMPLAN Group, Inc. (MIG 2004) 2006 software and its associated data bases.
25 These numbers do not include values for the economic output and employment generated in services such as banking, government, or education, for which data on the percentage directly or indirectly related to the agricultural sector are not available.
26 IMPLAN Professional 2.0 is an economic impact assessment software system which is generally used with IMPLAN Data Files to create local area Social Accounting Matrices and develop Multiplier Models that can be used to estimate such variables as detailed economic impacts of economic activity. Further information is available at www.implan.com Note that, because IMPLAN only looks at backward linkages, the impact of forward linkages is not included.

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Chart 2.1 - Value of Production in U.S. Agricultural Sector (final output), 1990-2006

The data for the value

of production for the

US agricultural sector

indicate that there have

been

frequent

fluctuations in the level

of output over the

period 1990 2006.

However, over that

period, the value of

production

has

increased some 46.3%,

suggesting that the

agricultural sector, and

the businesses that it

supports, will continue

to have a significant

impact on the overall

economy in the future.

Source: Economic Research Service/USDA, July 2007

Chart 2.2 - Distribution of Total Employment by Major Category, U.S., 2006

Within the agricultural

sector, food warehousing,

wholesale, and retail

trade represent the

largest share of total

value

of

output,

employing more than 1/3

of the total agribusiness

workforce. Conversely,

the smallest employers of

ag-related labor are

within the agricultural

chemical and machinery

manufacturing

and

forestry and logging

operations production

subsectors.

Source: IMPLAN Model Estimates, CAED A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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In considering the contributions of each category to employment and output in the agribusiness sector, it is clear that the relative strengths of categories differ by type of output produced. Food warehousing and trade, crop and animal production, and other farming and farm support activities tend to be more labor intensive and make a bigger contribution to employment than to the value of output. On the other hand, the manufacturing subsectors employ relatively fewer workers but contribute a larger share of total value of production. This will have significant implications to the demand for labor in the agribusiness sector.
Chart 2.3 - Comparison of Output and Employment Distribution, by Major Category, U.S., 2006

Source: IMPLAN Model Estimates, CAED

One means of measuring the efficiency of a production sector is to compute labor productivity using the following formula:

Labor Productivity (output per hour) =

Output _____________
Labor Inputs

While this can be measured in terms of physical output per unit of labor, for this report output is measured in monetary terms for the U.S. and Georgia. Thus the labor productivity calculation gives an estimate of the value of output produced per worker. As the level of productivity rises, it means that each worker is producing more output. In other words, it takes fewer workers to produce a given level of output, as, for instance, in agricultural production throughout the United States, often reported as it now takes fewer farmers to feed the country.

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On the basis of the data generated by the IMPLAN model, the level of labor productivity in Georgia`s agribusiness sector exceeds that for the U.S. as a whole. Georgia outperforms the Nation in terms of animal productivity, in part due to efficiencies in the poultry subsector. Efficiency levels are higher in Georgia for wood and paper product manufacturing, and forestry and logging operations. On the other hand, labor productivity levels are lower in Georgia than in the U.S. in crop production and agricultural chemical and machinery manufacturing.
Chart 2.4 - Comparison of Levels of Productivity in U.S. and Georgia Agribusiness

Food Warehousing, Wholesaling, and Retailing Operations
Agricultural Chemical and Machinery Manufacturing
Wood and Paper Product Manufacturing
Food, Beverage, Tobacco, Textile, and Leather Manufacturing
Other Farming and Farm Support Activities
Forestry and Logging Operations
Animal Production
Crop Production
0

96,036 93,846

634,953 538,818
291,134 324,095
451,693 369,193

45,447 48,226

93,960 140,267

280,564 305,230

86,201 71,477
100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000 700,000

Georgia

US

A comparison of the relative levels of productivity for Georgia and the U.S. shows that Georgia`s labor productivity is higher in forestry and logging operations, animal production (including poultry), wood and paper product manufacturing, and other farming and farm support activities (including peanut and tobacco production). On the other hand, for the U.S. economy as a whole, labor productivity in crop production, food, beverage, tobacco, textiles and leather manufacturing, and other manufacturing is higher than for similar processes in Georgia. While these differences must be understood in light of other economic factors, including technology and factor costs of other inputs, they are an important first step in analysis the potential growth of the Georgia agribusiness industry.

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The Economic Impact of Georgia Agribusiness

Production and Employment Trends

Georgia's agribusiness industry contributed more than $76 billion in economic activity to the State in 2006, employing almost 400,000 workers and contributing $15 billion in labor income to the economy. Based on these figures, the agribusiness industry accounted for 11% of the total value of output and 8% of the total workforce. (Table 2.2) Taking into account the linkages among the sectors - including the indirect or multiplier effects - the contributions of the agribusiness sector to the level of economic activity in the State are even more impressive. This combined economic activity, reported in Tables 2.2 2.4, shows that a total contribution of nearly $20 billion in output, over 700,000 jobs, and $30 billion in labor income to the Georgia economy. These additional effects incorporate not only the effects of input purchases by the agribusiness sector, but also the increased household income of the workers employed in both the agribusiness sector and the businesses that supply inputs to that sector. The level of those economic impacts are provided in Table 2.3 (by sectors) and in Table 2.4 (by economic activity).27

Table 2.2 - Georgia Agribusiness Employment and Output, by Categories, Georgia, 2006

Sector
Crop Production Animal Production Forestry and Logging Operations Other Farming and Farm Support Activities1 Food, Beverage, Tobacco, Textile, and Leather Manufacturing Wood and Paper Product Manufacturing Agricultural Chemical and Machinery Manufacturing Food Warehousing, Wholesaling, and Retailing Operations2 Total Agribusiness

Employment
33,065 28,498
9,106 56,300 98,313 42,022
5,923 120,818 394,043

Output - in $M-
2,363 3,997 2,779
2,715 36,296 13,619
3,191
11,338 76,300

Agribusiness Percent of Economy

8

11

1 Includes landscape services.

2 Food, drink, tobacco, and alcohol only.

Table 2.3 - Economic Impacts of Georgia Agribusiness by Major Economic Sectors, 2006

Sector
Agriculture Mining and Construction Utilities Manufacturing Transportation, Warehousing Trade Finance, Insurance, & Real Estate Services Government & Non NAICS Total

Employment 89,685 3,139 2,638
157,121 33,615
185,452 33,520
207,391 3,154
715,716

Labor Income ($) 2,543,709,895 137,942,391 373,722,791 8,515,789,512 1,564,594,203 7,452,530,611 1,715,058,602 7,817,899,072 122,776,923
30,244,023,999

Value of Output ($) 9,825,991,554 358,309,502 1,768,698,783
56,969,086,751 3,738,151,534
18,949,754,597 6,709,743,527
18,336,220,866 3,121,182,386
119,777,139,500

27 Data for tables 2.2 - 2.4 were developed by CAED staff using IMPLAN modeling and data.

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Table 2.4 Total Economic Impacts of Georgia Agribusiness, 2006

Employment Labor Income ($) Output ($)

Direct Impact Indirect Impact Total Impact

394,043

321,672

715,716

15,753,762,966 14,490,261,033 30,244,023,999

76,300,137,176 43,477,002,324 119,777,139,500

In considering the contributions of each category to output and employment in the agribusiness sector, it is clear that the relative strengths of categories differ by type of output produced. Crop and animal production, food warehousing and trade, and other farming and farm support activities like that for the U.S., tend to be labor-intensive and contribute more to employment than to the value of output. On the other hand, relatively fewer workers are employed in the manufacturing subsectors but those subsectors contribute a larger share to the total value of production. The impact of this fact on the demand for labor in the agribusiness sector will be discussed in a subsequent chapter.

Chart 2.5 Distribution of Output and Employment by Category, Georgia, 2006

Table 2.5 - Annual Comparison of Farm Gate Value, 1999 - 2007

Production Year 1999 2000 2201 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
2007

Total Value of Production
$7,926,020,249 $8,295,451,715 $8,714,970,992 $8,825,753,908 $9,859,173,985 $10,283,536,190 $10,579,891,717 $10,366,342,023 $11,566,159,994

Given these production and employment numbers for the agribusiness sector, the value of total output at the farm gate enhances the picture of the value of farm production to the economy in terms of measuring the value of the commodities produced. As shown in Table 2.5, farm gate values have increased by nearly 46% (45.9%) from 1999 to 2007, a rate of increase of almost 5% annually.

Source: 2007 Georgia Farm Gate Value Report, CAED, AR-08-01

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Much of that increase is due to increases in poultry and egg production which increased some 66% from 1999 to 2007. For 2007, the top ten commodities represented almost 75% of the total farm gate value of production.
Table 2.6 - Farm Gate Value of Top Ten Commodities, by Commodity, Georgia, 2007

Rank

Commodity

1

Broilers

2

Cotton

3

Eggs

4

Timber

5

Horses

6

Beef

7

Peanuts

8

Dairy

9

Greenhouse

10

Container Nursery

Contribution Made by Top 10 Commodities

Total farm gate value

Farm Gate Value By Commodity
$4,715,194,764 $628,800,267 $549,714,874 $500,864,049 $429,569,500 $423,272,771 $381,951,526 $310,023,659 $268,766,728 $215,132,375
$8,423,290,513
$11,566,159,994

% of Total Farm Gate Value
40.77% 5.44% 4.75% 4.33% 3.71% 3.66% 3.30% 2.68% 2.32% 1.86%
72.83%

Chart 2.6 Distribution of Farm Gate Production by Commodity Group, Georgia, 2007
The statistics reported by the CAED estimated that much of the farm gate value of total agricultural production of over $11m for 2007 was contributed by poultry and egg production (47%), livestock and aquaculture (12%), row and forage crops (14.53%), and vegetables (8%). Broilers alone accounted for almost 41% of the total farm gate value of commodities produced in 2007.

Source: 2007 Georgia Farm Gate Value Report, CAED, AR-08-01 A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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Based on these increases in farm output, despite fluctuations in the value of production, Georgia`s share of total US farm production has increased from 2.3% in 1990 to 2.7% in 2006.
Chart 2.7 Georgia's Share of U.S. Value of Production in Agriculture, 1990 2006

Source: Economic Research Service/USDA, July 2007
_________
As a state, Georgia ranked 12th among the states in terms of its value of farm production in 2006. While that rank has fluctuated over the years, to a high of 11th in 1999, 2001, and 2005, overall, the trend has been upward from 17th in 1990.

Table 2.7 Georgia's Rank Among Agricultural Producers in U.S., 1990 - 2006

Year
1990 1995 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Value of US Production In $`000 188,496,680 203,553,284 213,421,168 220,466,802 229,429,600 220,358,440 243,482,016 283,009,336 275,201,649 275,700,012

GA`s Production as Share of US
2.28% 2.78% 2.83% 2.63% 2.76% 2.41% 2.55% 2.52% 2.64% 2.65%

Source; Economic Research Service/USDA, July 25, 2007

Georgia`s Rank Among All States
17th 12th 11th 12th 11th 13th 12th 14th 11th 12th

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Employment Concentration and Competitive Advantage
Despite the significant contribution made by agricultural commodities to the State`s economy, the impact on employment is smaller relative to other subsectors within the agribusiness sector. In fact, few of the commodity groups have employment concentrations that rank them among major producers in the U.S. when viewed from the perspective of location quotients. The State`s level of economic activity related to the agribusiness industry is not uniformly distributed across the state or by commodity groups. Location quotients were calculated to determine the degree of industry specialization within the State using data and techniques provided by the U.S. Department of Labor`s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).28

A location quotient greater than 1 in a specific industry can be interpreted as an indicator of the area`s competitive advantage in that industry due to the existing supply of labor and other resources, including input suppliers and infrastructure. Conversely, a location quotient significantly below 1 is often a signal that the area lacks a concentration of labor in that sector or industry relative to other areas.

Since location quotients are often used to compare concentrations of industries in a particular area, using the BLS Location Quotient Calculator tool, statistics were computed for the top 10 commodity groups, using the U.S. as the comparator group. The results of that analysis confirmed that:

1. Agricultural commodity groups are not major employers of labor in Georgia, with that subsector employing just under one percent (0.97%) of the State`s workforce. That number was not much lower than the similar statistics for the U. S. for which the value was 1.13%.

Table 2.8 Share of Total Employment for Select Agricultural Commodities, Georgia and U.S.

Industry

U.S. TOTAL

Georgia Statewide 1

Base Industry: Total, all industries

100.00%

100.00%

NAICS 111 Crop production

0.48%

0.31%

NAICS 11121 Vegetable and melon farming

0.08%

0.09%

NAICS 1113 Fruit and tree nut farming

0.15%

0.05%

NAICS 1114 Greenhouse and nursery production

0.15%

0.10%

NAICS 11191 Tobacco farming

0.00%

0.01%

NAICS 11192 Cotton farming

0.02%

0.02%

NAICS 111992 Peanut farming

0.00%

0.01%

NAICS 11211 Beef cattle ranching, farming, and feedlots

0.04%

0.01%

NAICS 11212 Dairy cattle and milk production

0.07%

0.03%

NAICS 1123 Poultry and egg production

0.04%

0.07%

NAICS 11231 Chicken egg production

0.01%

0.01%

NAICS 11232 Broilers and meat type chicken production

0.01%

0.02%

NAICS 11234 Poultry hatcheries

0.01%

0.04%

NAICS 11292 Horses and other equine production

0.01%

0.00%

NAICS 113 Forestry and logging

0.06%

0.18%

NAICS 1131 Timber tract operations

0.00%

0.02%

% of total employment employed in these selected NAICS

1.13%

1 Values in blue indicate commodities for which the employment LQ in Georgia exceeds that for the U.S.

0.97%

28 A Location Quotient (LQ) compares an area's distribution of employment by industry to a reference or base area's distribution
and base industry. An LQ greater than 1 indicates an industry with a greater share of the local area employment than is the case in the reference area. Conversely for values less than 1. For more about the Location Quotient Calculator, see http://www.bls.gov/qcew/cewlq.htm.

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2. On the basis of the value of production, Georgia is not ranked among the top ten producers of agricultural commodities. Nevertheless, the State maintains a competitive advantage in selected commodities such as poultry and eggs, cotton, peanuts, broiler, timber and tobacco, for which the LQ was greater than 1. In all, 11 of the 19 categories reflected LS values greater than 1, with values well above 1 for peanuts, timber, broilers, and poultry hatcheries. All LQ values were calculated using data obtained from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages Data, 2006, BLS.

Table 2.9 Location Quotients for Major Agricultural Commodities, Georgia, 2006

Industry
Base Industry: Total, all industries NAICS 111 Crop production NAICS 11121 Vegetable and melon farming NAICS 1113 Fruit and tree nut farming NAICS 1114 Greenhouse and nursery production NAICS 11191 Tobacco farming NAICS 11192 Cotton farming NAICS 11199 All other crop farming NAICS 111992 Peanut farming NAICS 112 Animal production NAICS 11212 Dairy cattle and milk production NAICS 1123 Poultry and egg production NAICS 11231 Chicken egg production NAICS 11232 Broilers and meat type chicken production NAICS 11234 Poultry hatcheries NAICS 11239 Other poultry production NAICS 11292 Horses and other equine production NAICS 113 Forestry and logging NAICS 1131 Timber tract operations NAICS 1132 Forest nursery and gathering forest products

Georgia -Statewide
1.00 0.64 1.06 0.33 0.67 3.55 1.50 0.72 13.91 0.63 0.38 2.05 0.53 3.17 4.48 2.63 0.47 2.94 6.02 1.64

1 Values in blue indicate commodities for which employment in Georgia exceeds that for the U.S.

Source: BLS Location Quotient Calculator (Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages Data)

The economic significance of those commodities cannot be overstated. Despite the expected decline in job growth in those production activities, largely due to increases in labor productivity, the backward and forward linkages that exist with other sectors mean that crop and animal production will continue to be significant contributors to Georgia`s economic growth. Job growth created in other sectors will depend, to some significant extent, on the performance of the agricultural production sectors. Agribusinesses, including manufacturing firms, use Georgia`s farm commodities as inputs in their processing operations. As such, declines in the agricultural sector would lead to higher input costs for industries that depend on agricultural output, contributing to higher production costs and lower domestic and global competitiveness based on the linkages with the agricultural sector. Thus, although the farm production sector is not a major employer of college-educated workers, understanding the role of farm commodities is critical to understanding the projected trends in the demand for college-educated workers. Location quotients for the agribusiness industry as a whole depend on the competitiveness of Georgia`s farm production activities.

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Utilizing the IMPLAN model, additional location quotients were calculated for both employment and output for the entire agribusiness sector in Georgia by industry. These LQs highlight the industries that make up the agribusiness sector, demonstrating LQs greater than one or close to one for most in both employment and output. For the entire agribusiness sector, the location quotient is greater than one, demonstrating Georgia's concentration in this strategic area of our economy.
Table 2.10 Location Quotients for Major Agribusiness Subsectors, Computed Using IMPLAN

Enterprises
Crop Production
Animal Production
Forestry and Logging Operations Other Farming and Farm Support Activities1 Food, Beverage, Tobacco, Textile, and Leather Manufacturing
Wood and Paper Product Manufacturing
Agricultural Chemical and Machinery Manufacturing Food Warehousing, Wholesaling, and Retailing Operations2
Total Agribusiness

Location Quotients

Employment
0.73 0.71 2.15 0.97

Output
0.63 1.11 2.45 1.08

1.79

1.52

1.50

1.74

1.45

1.28

0.95

0.97

1.09

1.34

1Includes landscape services. 2Food, drink, tobacco, and alcohol only.

Further, when the location quotients were calculated for industries that use agricultural commodities as primary raw materials, the significance of the commodity groups is even more apparent. Food manufacturing, wood, and paper manufacturing, all had LQ values greater than 1, indicating Georgia`s relative employment concentration in these areas.

Chart 2.8 - Location Quotients for Manufacturing Products, Based on Agricultural Commodities, Georgia, 2006

In chart 2.8, Location

Quotients were calculated

specifically for industries that

use agricultural commodities

as primary raw materials,

making even more apparent

the significance of these

agribusiness groups. The

highest LQ values were found

for textile mills, paper and

wood manufacturing, food

manufacturing, and farm

product warehousing and

storage.

Within

the

agribusiness

industry,

commodities with location

quotients greater than 1

(Chart 2.9 A) and less than 1

(Chart 2.9 B) are shown

below for selected NAICS

codes.

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Selected NAICS Categories

Chart 2.9 - Location Quotients by Selected NAICS Codes for Agribusiness Employment Concentrations, Georgia

A. Georgia - LQ Values Greater than 1

Fiber, yarn, and thread mills Broadwoven fabric mills Forestry and logging
Coated and laminated packaging paper mfg. Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills
Plywood and engineered wood product mfg. Sawmills and wood preservation
Agricultural implement manufacturing Uncoated paper and multiwall bag mfg.
Food manufacturing Paperboard container manufacturing Farm product warehousing and storage Nursery and florist merchant wholesalers Food product machinery manufacturing Wood container and pallet manufacturing Tobacco and tobacco product merch. whls. Farm and garden equip. merchant wholesalers
Landscaping services Grocery and related product wholesalers
Millwork Fishing, hunting and trapping

2.94 2.2 2.15 1.86 1.79 1.67 1.62 1.55 1.46 1.36 1.33 1.29 1.28 1.26 1.12 1.07 1.04 1.04 1.04

6.89

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

B. Georgia - LQ Values Less than 1

Location Quotient Values

Miscellaneous wood product manufacturing
Nursery, garden, and farm supply stores
Agricultural chemical manufacturing
Coated and laminated paper manufacturing
Narrow fabric mills and schiffli embroidery
Farm product raw material merch. whls.

0.72

Specialty food stores

0.67

Farm supplies merchant wholesalers
Beverage and tobacco product manufacturing

0.66 0.66

Crop production

0.64

10.41

9

10

11

12

0.99 0.95 0.91 0.88 0.86

Animal production

0.63

Agriculture and forestry support activities
Other leather product manufacturing

0.13

0.54

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

1.1

Location Quotients

Source: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2006

Selected NAICS Codes

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Summary
Georgia`s agribusiness industry, composed of sectors involved in agricultural and forestry production (including support services); food and fiber processing and manufacturing; production inputs; food retail and wholesale trade; and food services, has significant economic impact on the State`s economy. Performance of the farm producing subsector is of tremendous significance to the overall performance of the agribusiness sector because farm production is intricately intertwined with both forward (producers of agricultural raw materials and distribution and sale of value-added products) and backward (input supply) linkages with the rest of the economy. In addition, consumption of agricultural products, either in direct or processed forms, further adds to the economic impact of the farm subsector. When the direct and indirect impacts of the agribusiness sector to employment, output, and value added are considered, the contributions of the agribusiness sector to the level of economic activity in the State are even more impressive. The economic multipliers generated by activity in the agribusiness sector give credence to the fact that the agribusiness sector has significant direct and indirect impacts on Georgia`s economy. As a result of economic activity, agribusinesses contributed almost $120b in additional output within Georgia with major impacts felt in the manufacturing sector, services, and trade. In terms of employment, the agribusiness industry generated almost twice as many jobs in other sectors of the economy as persons directly employed in agribusiness.
Agricultural commodity and agribusiness production compare favorably to national statistics, giving the State a competitive advantage in the production of major agricultural and agribusiness commodities. The computed location quotients suggest that Georgia has a competitive advantage, based on such factors as its human resources and knowledge and physical capital and infrastructure, in the production of those commodities. Recognizing and exploiting these competitive advantages should be key concerns of policies aimed at increasing Georgia`s competitive rank among the Nation`s agribusiness producers and in generating future employment growth within the sector. Based on its competitive position, Georgia should be in a relatively strong position to respond to increased demand for food and fiber products from both U.S. and global markets.

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Chapter 3: The Demand for a CollegeEducated Workforce in Georgia`s Agribusiness
Industry

Introduction
In its report emphasizing relationships such as those between industry and education, the Spellings Commission29 noted that higher education in the United States has become one of our greatest success stories. In explaining the increased demand for post-secondary education, the Commission pointed out that higher education is seen as the means to accomplish both quality of life and economic development goals for the nation and its citizens... That notion, combined with the projected annual increase in the numbers of high school graduates will continue to generate new and expanding demand for higher education. As noted by the Commission, hte United States increasingly needs what the best of higher education has to offer: graduates who contribute positively to economic development through increased private and public revenues, greater productivity, increased consumption, more workforce flexibility, and decreased reliance on government financial support; services that fill economic and social demands in agriculture, commerce, health care, energy, defense, human development, natural resources, and other subject areas vital to our society; and research that contributes to the growing fund of knowledge, fires the engines of innovation, and advances the future of the nation.30
To accomplish those goals, the higher education system will be challenged to respond to the needs of its varied constituents, especially students and employers. As the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education so eloquently phrased it, one of the most fundamental roles that higher education must play in the economic growth of the U.S. is to to provide graduates and the nation at large with the skills needed to be effective in a global, increasingly competitive economy.... The report continues, the most important educational goal confronting higher education in the 21st century is to optimize learning by students and by society in general: to educate a growing, increasingly diverse set of learners to be effective and fulfilled as workers and citizens...31 The challenges are no less complex for Georgia.
Trends in Georgia`s Workforce, by Sectors and Agribusiness Groups

For the state of Georgia, the labor market has shown consistent growth since 1990. According to reports from the Georgia Department of Labor, Georgia has ranked fourth among all states in net labor force growth and became the sixth fastest growing labor force in the nation since 1990.32 Georgia`s labor market is projected to increase by more than 750,000 jobs by 2014, an annual increase of 1.7%. This

29 A Commission appointed by Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Education's Commission on the
Future of Higher Education (the Spellings Commission) was charged with developing a comprehensive national strategy for postsecondary education and also address the future economic and workforce needs. (See www.ed.gov for more information).
30 "Setting the Context, Charles Miller & Cheryl Oldham. A National Dialogue: The Secretary of Education`s Commission on the
Future of Higher Education. Issue Paper. First in a series of Issue Papers released at the request of Chairman Charles Miller to inform the work of the Commission, p.1. 31 Engaging Higher Education in Societal Challenges of the 21st Century, NCPP&HE, April, 2008, pp.2-3 32 Georgia Annual Report Analysis, Georgia Department of Labor, Workforce Information & Analysis Division, p.4

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compares favorably with the projected numbers for the U.S. to 2016 of 1.0% annually.33 However, growth will not occur in all sectors as many sectors will not add new positions. Indeed, as seen below, many sectors will experience negative growth rates. Yet, for others, despite negative growth rates, employment levels will grow due to replacement positions due to persons leaving the workforce for reasons such as retirement. Thus, the changes in employment must be analyzed from the perspective of new positions (due to growth) and replacements (due to attrition). This is particularly significant for subsectors such as crop production where technology changes and increases in productivity tend to limit the creation of new jobs but where replacements due to retirement or turnover are high, create job openings.34
For purposes of this study, the demand for college-educated agribusiness labor is defined in terms of the projected employment in 2014 for those occupations (by SOC codes) identified by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as typically requiring at least an associate`s degree, and by CIP codes identified by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).35 However, where relevant to the discussion, reference will be made and statistics reported for certificates awarded within the University System
Georgia Employment - All Sectors and Educational Levels
For all educational levels, the data on average quarterly employment data for the 2006-07 period show that the largest employer of labor in Georgia is the food services and drinking services industry, while fishing, hunting, and trapping employs the fewest number of workers (Chart 3.1).
Chart 3.1 - Distribution of Quarterly Employment by Industry, Georgia July 2006 - June 2007

Source: Quarterly Workforce Indications, US. Census Bureau, 2007
33 According to the BLS, national occupational projections are developed on a 2-year schedule for national and state level data. While the current national projections cycle cover the 2006-2016 period, state level data for the same period will not be available until late 2008. The most current state level data for Georgia covers the period 2004 -2014 (see www.bls.gov for more information).
34 Job openings = sum of new + replacement positions 35 SOC codes refer to the 2000 Standard Occupational Classification system used by federal statisticians to classify workers into
occupational categories to facilitate the collection and dissemination of labor market. CIP codes refer to the Classification of Instructional Programs used to identify instructional degree specialties (majors and minors) for collection and reporting of education data. For more information about SOC, see www.bls.gov/SOC/. For information about the NCES, see www.nces.ed.gov/ipeds. More information about the definitions is contained in Appendix F.

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On average, nearly one in every five employees in Georgia worked in food services and drinking places in

2006- 2007 (18.4%). On the other hand, fewer than 1% of Georgia`s workforce was employed in crop

production during that same period. The picture remained relatively unchanged when the sectors were

ranked relative to the average number of new hires employed quarterly over the period 2006 2007

(including replacements). Food services and drinking places ranked second to administrative support

services while fishing, hunting and trapping hired the least number of new employees. These numbers

are more below, 15

reflective of the 27

soufbstheectoturrsneoxvpeerInriindenutcshetordysGeneEeomingrpgdaliutoaivsy2etmr0iae0evs6ne-t2rraGa0tg0rhoe7ewrqtuhtha(ar%tne)rglyrogwrothwtihn

new rates

positions. As shown for 2006/2007.

Chart 3.2 - Georgia Agribusiness Industry Employment Growth (as a %), 2006-2007

Food & Beverage Stores Food Services & Drinking Places
Educational Services Building Material &...
Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services Waste Management & Remediation Services
Repair & Maintenance Warehousing & Storage Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods Insurance Carriers & Related Activities
Animal Production Crop Production
Administrative & Support Services Food Manufacturing
Wood Product Manufacturing Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods
Printing & Related Support Activities Rental & Leasing Services
Management of Companies & Enterprises Forestry & Logging
Furniture & Related Product Man. Support Activities for Agriculture & Forestry
Fishing, Hunting & Trapping Textile Product Mills Paper Manufacturing
Beverage & Tobacco Product Man. Textile Mills

-22.3

-6.0 -6.0 -6.1 -6.6 -7.8

-0.5 -0.8 -1.2 -1.4 -1.6 -1.8 -2.4 -2.9 -3.6

4.7 4.6 3.3 3.3 2.7 2.4 2.3 1.4 1.2 1.1 0.4

-25.0

-20.0

-15.0

-10.0

-5.0

0.0

5.0

Source: Quarterly Workforce Indications, US. Census Bureau, 2007

7.3 10.0

Chart 3.3 - Georgia Agribusiness-Related Manufacturing Employment, July 2006 to June 2007

With an average quarterly

employment of nearly 70,000

workers (69,792), food

manufacturing is the largest

employer within those

manufacturing industries that

hire

agribusiness-related

workers. On the other hand,

the smallest workforce (3,402)

is employed in those

companies that are involved in

beverage and tobacco product

manufacturing. Despite losing

an average of more than 2000

jobs per quarter, the textile

industry and affiliated product

manufacturing companies are

the second largest employers

in agribusiness manufacturing.

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When new hires were compared to the industry's total workforce, administrative support services ranked at the top, hiring one new person for nearly every six workers currently employed (17.4%). Similarly, the food services and drinking places industry had a large proportion of new hires (15.3%), while beverage and tobacco product manufacturers had a much smaller amount (6.1%).

Chart 3.4 - New Hires in Georgia as PercentnoefwEmhpirloeysmpecntt by Industry, July 2006 June 2007

Administrative & Support Services Food Services & Drinking Places Food & Beverage Stores Wood Product Manuf acturing Rental & Leasing Services
Building Material & Garden Equipment & Supplies Crop Production
Repair & Maintenance Support Activities f or Agriculture Prof essional, Scientif ic, & Technical Services
Warehousing & Storage Fishing, Hunting & Trapping
Food Manuf acturing Animal Production
Waste Management & Remediation Services Furniture & Related Product Man. Educational Services Mgt of Companies & Enterprises
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods Printing & Related Support Activities
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods Forestry & Logging
Insurance & Related Activities Paper Manuf acturing Textile Mills Textile Product Mills
Beverage & Tobacco Product Man.
0.0%

11.7% 11.2% 10.7% 10.5% 10.1% 10.1% 10.1% 9.7% 9.2% 9.1% 9.1% 9.1% 9.0% 8.2% 8.2% 8.1% 8.0% 7.8% 7.2% 7.1% 7.0% 6.5% 6.4% 6.4% 6.1%

15.3%

3.0%

6.0%

9.0%

12.0%

15.0%

Source: Quarterly Workforce Indications, US. Census Bureau, 2007

17.4% 18.0%

Overall, in looking at employment trends, we see recurring patterns of particular industries that comprise much of the workforce in Georgia, such as food services and drinking places, administrative and support services, and professional, scientific & technical services. These occupational groups also account for much of the new hire activity around the State and represent large portions of Georgia's employment distribution. However, of the 29 subsectors for which data were reported, 22 had negative job growth, including administrative and support services where more than 10,000 jobs were lost even as that subsector hire almost 50,000 new hires. Such trends are indicative of a high level of turnover where hires are being made to replace lost workers rather that to fill newly created positions. A summary, by subsector, is provided below.

Table 3.1 Comparison of Hiring Growth and Hires Made, Georgia, 2006 - 2007

Sub-Sector Group
Textile and Affiliated Industries Food Manufacturing Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing Paper Manufacturing Wood Product Manufacturing
Source: Quarterly Workforce Indications, US. Census Bureau, 2007

Hiring Growth
-2235 -2019
-400 24
1044 1471

Number of New Hires
4294 6343 1190
206 1516 2660

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Long term Projected Trends in the Agribusiness Labor Market

Projections from the Georgia Department of Labor predict that occupations linked to the agribusiness sector will experience a growth rate of 15.6% to 2014, a predicted annual growth rate of 1.42%. Although representing only 17% of the projected workforce, occupations for which a college education is typically required will grow at a rate just above the rate for those occupations for which no college education is necessary (15.1%). Over the 10 year period ending 2014, the college-educated workforce is expected to grow at an annual rate of 1.5% compared to the corresponding rates of 1.4% for both the non-degree occupations and the total agribusiness workforce. As a result of the slightly larger growth rate, the share of the college educated workforce is projected to rise from 16.9% in 2004 to 17.0% of the total agribusiness workforce by 2014. Much of that growth will be led by the growth in the demand for graduates with bachelor`s degrees or higher which is expected to add 1,410 jobs annually from growth and replacements while the jobs for workers with associate`s degrees is expected to increase by 170.
Table 3.2 Long term Growth Projections by Occupation and Education

Long-Term Occupational Projections for Occupations in the Agribusiness-related NAICS Codes 2004-2014 Georgia Statewide

Type of Ag-related Occupation

Annual Openings
from Growth

Annual Openings
from Replacements

Total Annual Openings

Total - college-degree occupations for degree programs (education levels 1-6)

701

Total - college-degree occupations for certificate programs (education level 7)

5

Total college occupations (education levels 1 - 7)

706

888

1,580

14

20

902

1,600

Total non-college occupations

3,223

4,517

7,740

Total Georgia Agribusiness
Total - college-degree occupations for associate`s degree programs only (education levels 6 only)
___________________

3,924
89

5,405
97

9,320
170

Source: Georgia Department of Labor Note: Totals may not equal the sum of individual cells due to rounding and data suppression.

Annual Growth
Rate
1.5%
0.6%
1.5% 1.4%
1.4%

Table 3.3 Summary of Occupational Growth Rates, Georgia

Among the 31 degree-required occupations for which data were available, almost one half (48.4%) are predicted to grow faster or much faster than the average for the State of 1.7%. Overall, almost 90% of agribusiness related occupations are projected to increase in terms of employment while another 13%, including conservation scientists and foresters will experience negative growth rates. Employment of environmental engineering technicians is expected to increase much faster than the state average at 3.2%. Details on occupational growth rates (by SOC) are provided in Appendix E.

(Growth Projections
>1.7%
1.0% - 1.6%
0.0% - 0.9% <0 (negative)

Distributions

Absolute Relative Cumulative

15 48.4% 6 19.4% 6 19.4%

48.4% 67.7% 87.1%

4 12.9%

100.0%

Source: Georgia Department of Labor

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The occupational characteristics of the list of occupations included in the college-educated agribusiness workforce are included in Appendix F (in SOC order). This list includes occupations that are peripherally related to agribusiness, including reporters and technical writers, who may obtain degrees in agricultural communication, and loan officers, economists, and survey researchers with degrees in agribusiness related disciplines.

Chart 3.5 - Top Ten Agribusiness-Related Occupations: Fastest Growing Occupations in Georgia

Attention must be drawn to the distinction between growth rates and job openings. Labor market growth can be reported in one of two ways: i) as rates of growth (%) and ii) as absolute numbers of jobs created. Typically, emerging industries generally have higher growth rates because the employment base is small. Thus the creation of 1,000 jobs in an industry that currently employs 10,000 would be reported as a 10% increase. On the other hand, the same number of jobs created in a sector that employs 100,000 would be only a 1% increase.

A: Growth Rates (in %), 2004 - 2014

B: Growth (in Numbers), 2004-2014
Source: Georgia Department of Labor

Adding 2,000 jobs to the larger

industry a growth twice as large as

that for the smaller industry, would

equal a 2% growth rate, still lower

than the 1,000 jobs added to the

smaller industry. Thus, although

positions

for

environmental

engineering technicians is projected

to report the highest growth rates

among

agribusiness-related

occupations (3.2%), the number of

job openings is among the smallest

among the top ten occupations,

creating only 40 jobs throughout the

State. The comparison is reversed for

vocational education teachers where

job growth is 2.4% but the number of

jobs created ranks it at the top of the

list, with an additional 250 jobs

created annually.

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What Agribusinesses Want from Georgia`s Higher Education System Survey Findings
Overview
Having now provided a context for trends in the State`s demand for college-educated workers, this section of the report is focused on analyzing the workforce needs expressed by respondents to the survey of agribusiness employers in terms of their projected demand for college-educated workers.36 Additional sections of the report will analyze questions relating to their perceptions of the supply of college-educated workers and the implications of views expressed about the quality and quantity of higher education in Georgia. Note that for most of the tables, absolute values are reported as whole number and relative values as percentages in parentheses (%) below the absolute values. If necessary, exceptions will be noted. Note that the sum of responses may not equal the total reported due to rounding.
Survey respondents represented a diverse geographic region across the State covering a large share of the State (Chart 3.6). This gives a reasonable level of confidence in the information gathered and the opinions expressed by the respondents in the future trends in the agribusiness industry of being reflective of the diversity of respondents` needs by regions.
Chart 3.6 Geographic Location of Survey Respondents

36 A discussion of the survey methodology is contained in Chapter 1. A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 29

Diversity was also reflected in the NAICS categories represented among the survey respondents. Relatively speaking, the largest group of respondents was the crop and greenhouse production group who represented 17% of the total number of completed responses. Least represented were agricultural consultants, less than 2% of total respondents. However, there were no subsectors that were not represented in the distribution of respondents.

Chart 3.7 - Distribution of Respondents by Broad NAICS Categories

The

distribution

of

respondents by broad

NAICS categories also

reflected the diversity of the

industry. The only categories

not represented were the

mining and construction and

utilities subsectors whose

individual impacts on the

Georgian economy are less

than 1/2 of 1% (0.4).

Again, this provides support to the assumption that the responses received from the survey participants would be reflective of Georgia`s agribusiness industry as a whole.

Table 3.4 Distribution of Respondents by Primary Agribusiness Subsector

Which of the following is the primary agribusiness area for your company? (Choose only one.)

Answer Options
Crop and Greenhouse Production Other Other Farm Production & Farm Support Activities Wood and Paper Product Manufacturing Food, Beverage, & Tobacco Manufacturing Food Warehousing, Wholesaling, & Retailing Operations Agricultural Chemical & Machinery Manufacturing Animal and Animal Aquaculture Production Trade Organization/Association Forestry and Logging Operations Government/Education Related to Agricultural Production Agricultural Finance and Risk Minimization Agricultural Consulting Completed Responses

Response Percent
17.4% 12.1% 10.5% 10.0%
8.4% 7.9% 6.3% 5.8% 5.8% 5.3%
5.3%
3.7% 1.6%

Response Count
33 23 20 19 16 15 12 11 11 10
10
7 3 190

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Other agribusiness areas mentioned by respondents included landscape design, maintenance and installation, container manufacturing, human resource consulting, and agricultural packaging and container manufacturing.
Given the diversity in both geographic coverage and agribusiness production areas, it is reasonable to assume that conclusions based on the survey responses would be a valid representation of the perceptions of the State`s agribusiness employers. As such, the responses to questions contained on the survey are reported below and elsewhere in the report to serve as a base against which to compare the State and national data on employment trends and the future needs of agribusiness employers.

Current Size of College-educated Workforce

Responses to the

question about the

current size of their

Georgia-based workforce

revealed that, on

average,

survey

participants employed

approximately

116

workers in their Georgia

locations.

College

degrees were required

for almost 26% of the full-

time positions for these

employers. For those

with

multi-state

operations, the average

number of employees

was 1,822 of which 23%

had college degree

requirements.

Chart 3.8 - Percentage of Full Time Positions Requiring a College Degree

Table 3.5 - Full Time Positions Requiring a College Degree

What is the current approximate size of your workforce and what percentage of full-time positions in your company require a college degree in Georgia and all
U.S. locations?

Answer Options

Response Average

Response Count

Approximate number of employees in Georgia?

115.95

182

Percent (%) of full time positions requiring a college degree: Georgia?
Approximate number of employees in the U.S.? Percent (%) of full time positions requiring a college degree: U.S.? Completed Responses

25.9% 1,822.03
23.1%

180 138 136 184

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However, when asked about specific subject matter needs, the majority of respondents (58%) indicated that a degree in a specific subject matter was not required for entry-level positions in their companies. Only 2% responded that a specific subject matter is required for all entry-level positions.

Table 3.6 - Need for Specific Subject Matter for Entry-level Positions

Is a college degree in a specific subject matter currently required for entry-level positions in your company?

Answer Options

Response Percent

Response Count

Yes - All

2.2%

4

Yes - Most

10.8%

20

Yes - Some

29.2%

54

No

57.8%

107

Completed Responses

185

For those respondents for whom a college degree in a specific subject matter was required (yes for all, most or some positions, equal to 42.2% of respondents), responses varied greatly by agribusiness enterprise. For agricultural consultants, all respondents (three) indicated that a specific degree was required. On the other hand, only 16% of those in crop production (five of 32) held that requirement.
Chart 3.9 Distribution of Responses by Need for Specific Subject Matter

Agricultural Consulting Agricultural Finance and Risk Minimization Agricultural Chemical & Machinery Manuf acturing Government/Education Related to Agricultural production
Trade Organizations/Association Food, Beverage, & Tobacco Manuf acturing
Forestry and Logging Operations Animal and Animal Aquaculture Production
Wood and Paper Product Manuf acturing Other Farm Production & Farm Support Activities
Other Agribusiness Food Warehousing, Wholesaling, & Retailing Operations
Crop and Greenhouse Production 0.0%

100.0%

85.7%

81.8%

70.0%

70.0%

50.0%

40.0%

40.0%

38.9%

35.0%

34.8%

20.0%

15.6% 20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

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Table 3.7 Distribution of Responses on Degree Requirements for Those Employers for Whom a Specific Requirement Exists

Agribusiness Enterprise
Crop and Greenhouse Production Food Warehousing, Wholesaling, & Retailing Operations Other Agribusiness Other Farm Production & Farm Support Activities Wood and Paper Product Manufacturing Animal and Animal Aquaculture Production Forestry and Logging Operations Food, Beverage, & Tobacco Manufacturing Trade Organizations/Association Government/Education Related to Agricultural Production Agricultural Chemical & Machinery Manufacturing Agricultural Finance and Risk Minimization Agricultural Consulting Total respondents

Percent for No Yes Total which Specific
degree required

27

5

32

15.6%

12

3

15

20.0%

15

8

23

34.8%

13

7

20

35.0%

11

7

18

38.9%

6

4

10

40.0%

6

4

10

40.0%

8

8

16

50.0%

3

7

10

70.0%

3

7

10

70.0%

2

9

11

81.8%

1

6

7

85.7%

3

3

100.0%

107 78 185

42.2%

Represented graphically, it is clear to see that the more specialized the agribusiness enterprise, the more likely the respondent is to require a specific field for the degree which the employee holds.

Chart 3.10 Distribution of Responses to Degree Field Requirement

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For those employers who require a college degree in a specific subject matter, the most popular degree programs were those in business (agribusiness, general business, or agricultural economics). More than 75% of the 106 employers who required that degree for one or more position openings in their companies indicated that at least 25% of their positions required a degree in those fields. On the other hand, of the 61 employers who had one or more openings that required a food science degree, fewer than 10% reported that all or almost all of their position openings would require a degree in that field. Other fields reported included economic development, engineering, government relations, management, and sales.

Table 3.8 - Subject Matter Content for Degree Requirements

For positions requiring a college degree, for what portion of your openings would you REQUIRE specific subject matter in the following fields? Check only those that apply. If none, leave blank. For "other", please specify.

Answer Options

All or Almost Most

Some

All (>90%) (51-90%) (25-50%)

A Few Response

(<25%)

Count

Agribusiness/Agricultural Economics/General Business

28 (26.4%)

29 (27.4%)

23 (21.7%)

26 (24.5%)

106

Animal Sciences (Including Dairy & Poultry)

9 (15.0%)

5 (8.3%)

9 (15.0%)

37 (61.7%)

60

Plant/Crop Sciences Public Relations & Communications Environmental Sciences
Agricultural Engineering
Food Science
Forestry
Geology/Earth Sciences
Horticulture & Landscaping
IT/Computer Science
Turfgrass Management
Agricultural Mechanization
Soil Science Plant Protection and Pest Management Agricultural Education
Food Technology

11 (15.3%)

13 (18.1%)

19 (26.4%)

29 (40.3)

72

18 (19.1%)

25 (26.6%)

21 (22.3%)

30 (31.9%)

94

13 (17.8%)

13 (17.8%)

17 (23.3%)

30 (41.1%)

73

9 (11.8%)

11 (14.5%)

15 (19.7%)

41 (53.9%)

76

5 (8.2%)

4 (6.6%)

11 (18.0%)

41 (67.2%)

61

8 (10.7%)

10 (13.3%)

19 (25.3%)

38 (50.7%)

75

3 (5.4%)

1 (1.8%)

17 (30.4%)

35 (62.5%)

56

16 (23.5%)

6 (8.8%)

17 (25.0%)

29 (42.6%)

68

12 (13.8%)

18 20.7%)

29 (33.3%)

28 (32.2%)

87

3 (4.9%)

10 (16.4%)

11 (18.0%)

37 (60.7%)

61

5 (7.2%)

13 (18.8%)

19 (27.5%)

32 (46.4%)

69

4 (7.7%)

11 (21.2%)

14 (26.9%)

23 (44.2%)

52

12 (15.8%)

16 (21.1%)

20 (26.3%)

28 (36.8%)

76

9 (12.3%)

12 (16.4%)

19 (26.0%)

33 (45.2%)

73

7 (10.6%)

3 (4.5%)

10 (15.2%)

46 (69.7%)

66

Other (please specify below)

24

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Projected Trends in Employment

In looking forward to the short and longer runs, employers perceived that it will be important for employees to hold college degrees. Nearly 1/3 of respondents speculated that a college degree will be very important in the next 2-5 years. In the longer run, nearly 45% of respondents felt that new employees will need to possess college degrees. The number who felt that it would not be important for new hires to hold college degrees fell from 17% in the short run to only 8% in the next 6-10 years.

Table 3.9 Expectations of Future College Degree Requirements

As you look forward to the future, how important will it be for new employees to have a college degree?

Answer Options

Very Important

Somewhat Important

Not Important

Don't Know/ Response

Not Sure

Count

In the next 2 - 5 years

58

74

31

15

178

(32.6%)

(41.6%)

(17.4%)

(8.4%)

In the next 6 - 10 years

76

63

14

17

170

(44.7%)

(37.1%)

(8.2%)

(10.0%)

For those employers who currently have college-educated workers on staff, the numbers were only slightly different from the responses from all survey participants. The number of respondents who supposed that it would not be important for new hires to hold college degrees was only 8% in the short run and less than 2% in the next 6-10 years.

Workplace Needs Derived from Survey Responses
When asked about specific skills and attributes likely to be in demand, responses mentioned ranged from customer service skills to critical thinking/problem solving. On the whole, initiative appeared to be the most required attribute demanded by respondents, followed by communication skills, critical thinking/problem solving, and ethics. Foreign language capabilities and study abroad experience were not perceived to be critical skill needs among the respondents.
Chart 3.11 Top Five Skills/Attributes Identified as Requirements by Survey Respondents

Respondents

identified

initiative as the top

skill/attribute that they require

in employees. Included

among the other top five

skills

were

oral

communication skills and

business ethics. Employers

also

valued

critical

thinking/problem solving skills

among those required

skills/attributes that college-

educated employees should

bring to the work place.

These top five attributes/skills

were listed as requirements

by more than 60% of

respondents who answered

that question.

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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Chart 3.12 Bottom Five Skills/Attributes Required by Survey Respondents

Study abroad experience

and foreign language

capabilities were not

regarded by survey

respondents as required

skills for jobs in the

agribusiness

industry.

Although prior work

experience

and

interpersonal/cultural

diversity skills were ranked

in the bottom five among

required skills, almost 20%

of respondents considered

them to be valuable skills

that employees should

possess.

Additional details about the responses to required and preferred skills/attributes are provided in Table 3.10. It should be noted that, although not in the top five requirements, office software/computer competency was required and preferred by a large group of respondents. On the other hand more than 80% of respondents did not regard study abroad experience as an important skill to be acquired by college graduates who would seek employment in the agribusiness industry.
Table 3.10 Significance of Skill/Attributes

In the future, how important will each of the following attributes/skills be in college-educated applicants considered for hire in your company?

Answer Options
Initiative Oral communication skills Critical thinking/problem solving Business ethics Customer relations skills Office software/computer competency Written communication skills Leadership/team building skills Project management skills Statistics and mathematics Interpersonal/cultural diversity skills Prior work experience Internship experience Foreign language capabilities Study abroad experience

Required
119 69.2% 111 64.2%
107 61.5%
106 61.3% 102 59.0%
91 52.6%
81 47.9%
76 43.9%
40 23.7% 36 21.1%
32 18.7%
30 17.5% 10 5.9%
7 4.1% 2 1.2%

Preferred
45 26.2% 57 32.9%
59 33.9%
61 35.3% 62 35.8%
68 39.3%
72 42.6%
87 50.3%
101 59.8% 97 56.7%
102 59.6%
119 69.6% 92 54.1% 91 53.8% 25 14.5%

Not Important
8 4.7% 5 2.9%
8 4.6%
6 3.5% 9 5.2%
14 8.1%
16 9.5%
10 5.8%
28 16.6% 38 22.2%
37 21.6%
22 12.9% 68 40.0% 71 42.0% 146 84.4%

Response Count 172 173
174
173 173
173
169
173
169 171
171
171 170 169 173

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Summary
The demand side of the market for college-educated workers in the agribusiness sector will be influenced by two factors:
1. The estimated numbers of workers needed to produce the projected demand for agribusiness products and services (quantity of labor demanded); and
2. The ability of the higher education system to graduate a college-educated workforce that reflects the kinds of skills sought by agribusiness employers (quality of labor demanded).
The quantity of labor demanded is calculated by the Georgia Department of Labor (DOL) as the total annual openings from two sources:
1. Employment growth from the creation of new jobs/positions due to business expansion.
2. Replacements- due to such factors as retirement, relocation, or labor shifts to other occupations and industries.
Both sources of jobs play an important role in the demand for labor in Georgia`s agribusiness sector. The conclusion to be drawn from the DOL projections is that occupations that require postsecondary education (education levels 1 7) will grow faster than the state average for all occupations. This growth will be led by increases in the demand for workers with an associate`s degree.
DOL projections forecast that by the year 2014, workers with at least a bachelor`s degree will account for 15% of the total agribusiness workforce. Although this is lower than the comparable figure for the State as a whole, this is significant given the large farm labor population who hold a high school diploma or less.
Chart 3.13 Comparison of Projected Demand for Labor by Educational Levels: Agribusiness and Overall Economy

All Other Education Levels

69.9%

82.8%

Bachelor's or Higher Degree

21.3% 15.0%

Post-Secondary Education but Less than Bachelor's

8.9% 2.2%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

Agribusiness Industry - 2014

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

State of Georgia - 2014

90.0%

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Addressing the issue of the quality of the college-educated workforce will require that attention be paid to the needs expressed by agribusiness employers for the types of workers for which they are and will be seeking. Beyond the technical knowledge, employers have expressed the need for workers who can think, problem solve, communicate, provide quality customer service, and take initiative. Responding to these quality issues will take creative thinking by higher education institutions as to the ways in which the development of these skills and attributes can be incorporated into curriculum design.
An understanding of the demand side of the labor market cannot be complete without an analysis of the supply side contained in the next chapter. Following that, the two sides of the market will be combined to determine the nature, if any, of the projected disequilibrium in the agribusiness labor market for collegeeducated workers.

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Chapter 4: The Supply of College Educated Workers for Georgia`s Agribusiness Industry

Introduction
According to statistics obtained from the University System of Georgia, there were more than 270,000 students enrolled in degree programs; 400,000 students enrolled in continuing education courses; 40,000 faculty and staff employed throughout the State.37 These statistics support Chancellor Erroll Davis` comment made in his most recent State of the System address that, [c]learly, we are making important and measurable progress toward these three goals: we are enrolling more students; we are keeping more students in college; and we are graduating more individuals to contribute to Georgia`s economic and intellectual growth and quality of life. He continued, [t]his System is continuing to add tremendous value to this state, as it always has. We are transforming the lives of thousands of individuals, and in the process, strengthening this state and this nation as well. 38 Indeed, participation rates from high school to college have shown continued increase, leading to overall increases in educational levels of Georgia`s workforce. In its most recent report, the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education confirmed the success of Georgia`s efforts to increase college participation rates, reporting that those rates increased from 26% in 1992 to 30% in 2006 for 18-24 year olds.39 Enrollment has increased for most categories of students, except at the professional level, with growth in enrollment at the undergraduate level up almost 50% over the 2000 to 2006 period.
Table: 4.1 Growth in College Enrollment, US and Georgia
A: Growth in College Enrollment by Degree, Georgia, 2000- 2006

Georgia Trends
2002 2006 Change: 2002 - 2006

Undergraduate Student Enrollment
257,010
377,266
46.8%

Graduate Student Enrollment
39,033
49,019
25.6%

Professional Student Enrollment
10,195
7,998
-21.5%

Student enrollment Full-time
208,835
291,726
39.7%

Student enrollment Part-time
97,403
142,557
46.4%

These numbers compare very favorably to similar numbers for the Nation, with Georgia reporting higher growth rates at every level except professional students.

B: Growth in College Enrollment by Degree, U.S., 2000- 2006

National Trends Change: 2000 -2006

Undergraduate Student Enrollment
19.2%

Graduate Student Enrollment
23.3%

Professional Student Enrollment
12.5%

Student enrollment - Full-time
25.9%

Student enrollment - Part-time
10.8%

Source: Measuring Up 2006, State facts

37 ICAPP website http://www.icapp.org/about/ 38 Chancellor's State of the System Address, January 16, 2008, Chancellor Erroll B. Davis, Jr. "State of the System" from
http://www.usg.edu/chancellor/reports/2008/jan08.phtml 39 Measuring Up 2006, Georgia Report, p.7

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With those trends in mind, it would be interesting to assess the impact on degrees conferred by the University System and the availability of college-educated workers who meet the needs of the agribusiness industry. Thus, we undertook an inventory of the agribusiness-related degree programs offered within the University System as a first step in assessing how well the programs meet the workforce needs of employers. The inventory was developed using System resources and the most current on-line course catalogs for each institution as of July 2008.

Current Capacity within the USG

Currently, the University System institutions offer a total of 151 degree programs and majors in agribusiness and allied disciplines. While details by discipline and institution are provided in Appendix G, suffice it to say that these programs represent a diverse set of disciplines, ranging from the traditional agribusiness fields such as crop production and livestock husbandry, to many emerging fields such as agricultural tourism and biotechnology. In all, 15 of the System`s institutions offered one or more degree programs in agribusiness or closely-related disciplines. Of those, 11 programs consisted of certificates of less than one year in such fields as agrosecurity, organic agriculture, and agricultural law. Another 34 programs were offered at the associate level (two-year programs), primarily in natural resources (forestry, wild life, and environmental studies) and crop and animal production. It was of interest that no schools currently offer any programs in agricultural mechanization, an observation that did not go unnoted by several of the employers from whom responses were received.
Table 4.2 Degree Program Offerings by Discipline, USG, as of July 2008

Discipline/ Degree Emphasis
Agribusiness/Agricultural Economics/General Business Agricultural Education Agricultural Mechanization Animal Sciences (including dairy & poultry) Engineering Environmental Science Food Science Food Technology Forestry/Forest Resources Geology/Earth Sciences Horticulture & Landscaping IT/Computer Science Plant Protection and Pest Management/Entomology Plant/Crop Sciences
Public Relations & Communications Turfgrass Management Subtotal core degree programs Other fields (inc. Textiles, Biotechnology, Agrotourism, Development and Planning, and Organic Agriculture)

Number of Programs
7 7 0 21 16 16 3 1 17 0 13 1 1 12
2 2 119
32

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Overall, the largest number of degree programs was offered at the bachelor`s level. Eight schools within the System`s member institutions offered one or more degrees in core or allied agribusiness fields. Although more institutions offered associate`s degrees, there were as many master`s level programs as associate`s.
Table 4.3 Degree Program Offerings by Award Level, USG, as of July 2008

Degree Program Level

Number of

Number of Schools

Degree Programs With Programs

Certificates of <1 year

11

4

Associate`s Degrees

35

8

Bachelor`s Degrees

49

8

Advanced Certificates/ dual BS/MS degree

4

3

Master`s Degrees

35

5

Doctoral Degrees

17

2

By institution, the University of Georgia accounted for 79 of the 151 program offerings in agricultural and allied agribusiness disciplines while Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College offered 16 of the 35 associate degree programs within the University System.
Table 4.4 Degree Program Offerings by Award level and Institution, USG, as of July 2008

Institutions
University of Georgia
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Georgia Institute of Technology
Fort Valley State University Gainesville State College Darton College Georgia College and State University Georgia State University Southern Polytechnic State University Bainbridge College Columbus State University East Georgia College Georgia Highlands College Georgia Southern University University of West Georgia
Total Number by Award Level
Cert = Certificates of less than 1 year BS = Bachelor's degrees MS = Master's degrees

Cert Assoc BS

AC

MS

PhD

Total by Institution

7

0 30

1 27 14

79

0

16

2

0

0

0

18

0

0

6

1

5

3

15

0

4

7

0

1

0

12

2

7

1

0

0

0

10

0

4

0

0

0

0

4

0

1

1

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

2

0

2

1

0

1

0

0

0

2

1

1

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

1

11

35 49

4 35 17

151

Assoc = Associate` degrees AC = Advanced Certificates Ph.D. = Doctoral degrees

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Assessing Agribusiness Labor Availability

Arriving at an estimate of the size of the college-educated agribusiness workforce was no easy task. Several sources of data were used to create a data base that we felt was both reasonably accurate and most current. In addition to data produced by the University System, additional data were collected from the Georgia Department of Labor, the Occupational Supply Demand System, and the Food and Agricultural Education Information System. From information gathered from employers on their hiring patterns with regard to college-educated employees and with the assumption that entry and mid level management workers would have fewer than five years of experience, data on degrees conferred was limited to the 2002- 2006 time period. The CIP codes used fell into three broad categories as follows:

1. Natural Resources and Conservation - including forestry, environmental science and studies, wastewater management, resource conservation, and wetlands management.
2. Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences - including crop production, animal and poultry sciences, plant and crop sciences, agribusiness, agricultural economics, farm management, and animal breeding and husbandry.
3. Allied disciplines - including education, architecture, and biological and biomedical sciences.

A complete list of the relevant CIP codes is provided in Appendix D. It should be noted that, in addition to recruiting among agribusiness graduates, agribusiness employers often look to graduates from programs offered by schools of business. Those CIP codes are also included below and in the Appendix.

Table 4.5 Core and Allied Agribusiness Programs by 2-Digit CIP Codes.

2-Digit CIP 01 03 04
13 14 19
26

Descriptions
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, And Related Sciences Natural Resources And Conservation Architecture And Related Services Education Engineering Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
Biological And Biomedical Sciences

Included Subcategories
01.0100 01.9999 03.0101 03.9999 04.0301; 04.0401; 04.0601
13.1301 14.0301; 14.1401; 14.2801; 14.340 19.0901; 19.0902; 19.0504 26.0301 - 26.0399; 26.0701 26.0710; 26.1101; 26.1201

Table 4.6 Related Business and Parks and Leisure Studies Programs40 by CIP Codes:

2-Digit CIP 31 45
52

Descriptions

Included Subcategories

Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies.
Social Sciences (Economics)
Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services

31.0101; 31.0301
45.0604
52.0201; 52.0205; 52.0703; 52.0905

52.0701;

40 Programs in Business and Leisure Studies are considered to complement those in agribusiness because of the similarity in
skills among graduates. According to the latest FAEIS study, nearly 10% of openings in agricultural and forestry production occupations will be filled by persons with degrees in business or other related programs. For management occupations in the agricultural industry, that share is almost 40%.

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Degrees Conferred USG: Agribusiness Core and Allied Degree Programs
Over the period 2002 to 2006, the University System of Georgia awarded an average of 608 undergraduate degrees and certificates and 255 graduate degrees and certificates in agribusiness-related (core and allied) programs. While the details of awards by level of award and CIP are provided in Appendix H, it is interesting to note that there were more than three times as many degrees awarded in related business-degree programs, many of whose graduates will supplement graduates from core and allied agribusiness majors in the agribusiness industry workforce.
Table 4.7 Degrees Conferred by 2-Digit CIP, 2002 - 2006

2Digit CIP
01
03 04 13 14 19 26

Description
Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, And Related Sciences Natural Resources And Conservation Architecture And Related Services Education Engineering Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Biological And Biomedical Sciences

Total - All Award Levels
1480
797 585 129 418 160 201

Total Undergraduate
(including certificates)
1093
521 353 105 219 135
81

Total Graduate
387
276 232
24 199
25 120

Total - Core and Allied Programs
average per year - Core and Allied Programs all award levels

3770 754

Related Programs

31 Parks, Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies

45 Social Sciences/Economics

52

Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services all award levels41

545 9
13,404

Table 4.8 Degrees Conferred in Agribusiness as Share of USG, 2002 - 2006

2507 501
534 9
9,258

1263 253
11 0
4,146

Unit
All USG Agribusiness as % of total degrees conferred

Total Degrees Conferred 2002 - 2006
213,545

Total Undergraduate Awards
2002 - 2006
158,328

1.8%

1.6%

Total Graduate Awards
2002 - 2006
55,217
2.3%

Even though the University System institutions represent the major producer of agribusiness graduates in the State, of the more than 200,000 degrees awarded at System institutions over the 2002-2006 time period, only approximately 2% went to graduates in core and allied agribusiness programs.

41 This number represents only those CIP codes for programs selected as closely competitive with agribusiness degree programs in the agribusiness industry. A list of the included CIP codes is provided in Appendix D.

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At the undergraduate level, the types of awards conferred are outlined in Table 4.9 A

Table 4.9 Degrees and Certificates Conferred in Agribusiness Programs, 2002 - 2006

A: Undergraduate Degrees Conferred, by Type

Degrees Awarded in Core and Allied Programs

Degree Award

Undergraduate Degrees

year

Certificates Associate's Bachelor's

Total Undergraduate

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Total: 2002 - 2006

8

119

363

12

130

405

4

86

441

1

33

313

4

74

514

29

442

2,036

490 547 531 347 592
2,507

5 year average

6

88

407

501

For graduate degree programs, the total and average numbers of awards conferred over the 2002-2006 period are reported in Table 4.9 B.

B: Graduate Degrees and Certificates Conferred, by Type

Degrees Awarded in Core and Allied Programs

Degree Award year
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Graduate Degrees

Advanced Certificate
0 1 0 0
0

Master's
208 190 197 177
195

Doctorate
58 66 55 41
75

Total: 2002 - 2006

1

967

295

5 year average

0

193

59

Total Graduate
266 257 252 218 270
1263
253

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Agricultural-related Programs in Context:
An analysis of the relative number of graduates in agribusiness-related programs revealed that these programs represent a very small percentage of the System`s total graduates. There were almost 40 CIP codes (excluding disciplines listed as other`) identified as typically falling within agribusiness programs from which no students graduated in the 2002-2006 period.
Table 4.10 Programs with No Awards Conferred for 2002 - 2006

CIP

Description

01.0105
01.0106
01.0205 01.0303 01.0306 01.0307
01.0401

Agricultural/Farm

Supplies

Retailing and Wholesaling

Agricultural Technology

Business

Agricultural Mechanics and Equipment/Machine Technology

Aquaculture Dairy Husbandry and Production

Horse Husbandry /Equine Science and Management

Agricultural and Food Products Processing

01.0505 Animal Training

01.0507 Equestrian/Equine Studies

01.0508 Taxidermy/Taxidermist

01.0603 01.0604
01.0606
01.0608 01.0701 01.0902 01.0903 01.0906

Ornamental Horticulture Greenhouse Operations and Management
Plant Nursery Operations and Management
Floriculture/Floristry Operations and Management
International Agriculture
Agricultural Animal Breeding Animal Health Livestock Management

CIP

Description

01.1002 Food Technology and Processing

01.1101 Plant Sciences, General

01.1104
01.1202 01.1203
03.0199

Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding
Soil Chemistry and Physics Soil Microbiology
Natural Resources, Conservation, and Research, General

03.0204 Natural Resource Economics

03.0205
03.0206 03.0506 03.0508 03.0509
03.0510

Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management

Land

Use

Planning

and

Management/Development

Forest Management/Forest Resources Management
Urban Forestry

Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology

Forest Resources Production and Management

26.0307 Plant Physiology

26.0308
26.0701 26.0708 26.0709 26.1101

Plant Molecular
Zoology/Animal Biology Animal Behavior and Ethnology Wildlife Biology Biometry/Biometrics

These programs included 11 in animal science and studies, five in conservation, four in forestry, eight in plant/crop/ horticultural studies, and two in food processing. In addition, there were no graduates from any of the System institutions in agricultural mechanics and equipment/machine technology. A check of the data for all U.S. institutions showed that, in 2005-06 reporting year, 24 of these programs were no more popular than they were in Georgia, with fewer than 100 graduates. For instance, there were only 18 graduates across the U.S. in agricultural mechanics and equipment/machine technology and 11 in plant nursery operations and management. However, 7 of these programs had more than 500 graduates including agricultural business and management (general); environmental design; equestrian/equine studies; farm/farm and ranch management; and natural resources management and policy.

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From another perspective, an analysis of the degree offerings revealed that there were 21 undergraduate programs (including certificate and associate degree programs) for which no corresponding graduate degrees awarded and 10 graduate disciplines for which there were no corresponding undergraduate awards reported during the time period under review. Pending further research and analysis to more closely review the underlying issues, the cause of the discrepancy in programs cannot be determined at this time.
Table 4.11 Programs with Either Graduate or Undergraduate Awards Conferred
A: Graduate but No Undergraduate Awards, 2002-2006

Codes 01.0801 01.0904

Description

Agricultural and Education Services

Extension

Animal Nutrition

01.1106 Range Science and Management

03.0201 04.0301

Natural Resources Management and Policy
City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning

Codes 14.1401 19.0902 19.0904

Description
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
Apparel and Textile Manufacturing
Textile Science (did not exist until 2000 CIP)

26.0305 Plant Pathology/Phytopathology

26.0707 Animal Physiology

B: Undergraduate but No Graduate Awards, 2002-2006

Codes 01.0000 01.0101
01.0104 01.0199 01.0201 01.0204
01.0302

Description

Agriculture, General

Agricultural

Business

and

Management, General

Farm/Farm

and

Management

Ranch

Agricultural

Business

and

Management, Other

Agricultural Mechanization, General

Agricultural Power Machinery Operation

Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production

01.0304 Crop Production

01.0605 01.0607
01.0699

Landscaping and Groundskeeping Turf and Turfgrass Management
Applied Horticulture/Horticultural Business Services, Other

Codes

Description

01.0802 Agricultural Communication/Journalism

01.1103 Horticultural Science

01.1201 Soil Science and Agronomy, General

01.9999 03.0103 03.0301

Agriculture, Agricultural Operation, and Related Sciences, Other
Environmental Studies
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management

03.0511 Forest Technology/Technician

03.0601
04.0401 26.1201

Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
Environmental Design/Architecture Biotechnology

It should be noted that offering programs at the undergraduate or graduate level only is not unique to Georgia. National wide, there were 19 programs offered at the bachelor`s level for which no graduate degrees were conferred in 2005-06. Fewer numbers of programs (7) were offered only at the graduate level. These graduate programs included agricultural and horticultural plant breeding, plant physiology and zoology.

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Survey participants were able to identify specific programs which may or may not prove to be helpful to the growth of their companies. Only a few programs were identified as being potentially very helpful to employers and the results did not produce any clear direction as to which programs should be expanded or contracted. The three programs identified as being very helpful to more than 20% of the respondents were integrated pest management; production management; and agricultural business technology. In addition, government and policy was potentially very helpful to 19% of respondents. Based on available data, no programs were identified in the listing of program offerings at any degree level within the University System in production management. Integrated pest management was identified as being offered at the certificate and master`s degree levels. Those programs that were classified as not helpful to at least 40% of the respondents included biodiversity, biotechnology; organic/sustainable agriculture, food/agro security, and integrated nutrient management. The numbers were almost evenly split on alternative fuel with 45% indicating that offering a program in that discipline would be somewhat to very helpful while 55% did not think it would be helpful or were unsure of their impact on the growth of their companies. Currently, no programs were listed in the available data bases that addressed alternative fuel technology. Whereas more than half of the respondents pointed out that program offerings in government and policy would be somewhat or very helpful, 45% did not share that opinion or were not sure of the impact of such a program on the growth of their businesses. Overall, the strongest support appeared to be for offering programs in production management and government and policy.

Table 4.12 Evaluation of Program Offerings to Future Growth

How helpful would it be to the growth of your company if potential applicants had college-level training in the following subject matter/emphases?

Answer Options
Resource conservation Integrated pest management Integrated nutrient management Bio-diversity Waste management Biotechnology Government and Policy Alternative fuel technology Production management Food/agrosecurity Organic/sustainable agriculture Precision agriculture Agricultural mechanization /engineering technology Ag business technology /computers in agriculture

Very Helpful
14.2% 20.3%
9.5% 3.4% 10.3% 9.3% 18.8% 8.1% 26.7% 11.4% 12.0% 11.9%
12.0%
25.7%

Somewhat Helpful
37.2%
30.1%

Not Helpful
30.4%
34.0%

Don't Know/ Not Sure
18.2%
15.7%

27.7%
26.4% 29.5% 26.0% 36.2%
36.5%
46.7% 25.5%
24.0%
24.5%

41.9%
40.5% 39.0% 40.7% 28.9%
35.1%
12.7% 41.6%
44.7%
39.1%

20.9%
29.7% 21.2% 24.0% 16.1%
20.3%
14.0% 21.5%
19.3%
24.5%

38.7% 32.7%

16.7%

35.5% 26.3%

12.5%

answered question

Response Count 148 153
148 148 146 150 149 148 150 149 150 151
150
152 160

Related Major Programs Currently
Offered at USG? Number and Level 2 (AC, M) 2 (C, M)
0 0 0 1 (B) 0 0 0 1 (C) 1 (C) 0
2 (A, B)
1 (A)

AC= Advanced Certificate; C = Certificate; B = Bachelor's; M = Master's

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It was clear from the survey responses that employers who currently hire college-educated graduates often look to institutions outside of Georgia to find employees although they had the greatest success in recruiting college-educated graduates from the University of Georgia.42 Employers were less successful in their hiring efforts from Fort Valley State University and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. However, this difference in success rates should not be interpreted as a reflection of the quality of the graduates or of their performance in the workplace. It is likely that the difference is based on the total number and types of programs offered, the numbers of students matriculating through the programs, and the relatively shorter period over those these have been available at Fort Valley State University and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. The survey did not inquire as to the reason for the differences.
Table 4.13 Likely Source of College-Educated Applicants

From which of the following universities have you had most success in hiring college-educated applicants?

Answer Options
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Fort Valley State University Georgia Institute of Technology University of Georgia Other university/college in Georgia Auburn University Clemson University University of Florida University of Tennessee Other U.S. University

Always (>90%)
6.7% 1.0% 1.0% 11.8% 4.7% 8.0% 2.2% 3.2% 4.2% 4.2%

Often (51-90%)
16.2% 3.1% 3.1%
31.1% 10.5% 14.0%
6.5% 4.2% 1.0% 4.2%

Sometimes (26-50%)
13.3% 1.0% 9.4%
25.2% 17.4% 11.0%
4.3% 8.4% 9.4% 12.7%

Seldom (1-25%)
9.5% 8.3% 12.5% 16.0% 14.0% 14.0% 19.4% 14.7% 10.4% 16.9%

Never (0%)
54.3% 86.5% 74.0% 16.0% 53.5% 53.0% 67.7% 69.5% 75.0% 62.0%

Of the 52 employers who listed other schools as sources from which they were successful in hiring college-educated employees, 34 schools in Georgia were identified, of which 23 were University System institutions. The list also included 25 schools in other states.43 Of the University System institutions, Georgia Southern University, accounted for 13 of the 23 identified System institutions as a source for making successful hires of college-educated employees. Other System institutions included Kennesaw State University, Valdosta State University, Augusta State University, and University of West Georgia.
Summary
Institutions within the University System of Georgia currently offer 151 degree programs and majors in agribusiness and allied disciplines ranging from certificates of less than one year to doctoral degrees. Although the majority of these programs are offered at the University of Georgia, diverse programs, primarily in allied disciplines, are offered throughout the System. Considering all award levels, the System graduated an average of 754 per year in these agribusiness and allied programs, a small portion of the System's total graduates of more than 40,000 annually. Employers` recruiting efforts are not limited to graduates from the University System or the state of Georgia, confirming early observations about interstate labor mobility.

42 The data refer only to those respondents who reported employing college-educated graduates. Tables for all respondents are included in Appendix I.
43 Multiple responses per respondent were permitted so the total exceeds 52.

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Chapter 5: Projected Employment Opportunities and Potential Gaps
Introduction
As part of its mission to create a more educated Georgia, the USG created, in 1995, Georgia`s Intellectual Capital Partnership Program (ICAPP) to link the intellectual resources of Georgia's 35 public college and universities to the state's business community in innovative ways including access to college-educated employees.44 Employers who responded to the survey expressed overall satisfaction with the quality of education received by college graduates. However, for agribusiness employers, access alone was not sufficient. Many of the survey respondents expressed concerned about having access to the right kinds of employees who possessed the right combination of technical knowledge and professional skills. For the agribusiness sector, mention has already been made of the fact that employers were less interested in the specific field in which employees` degrees were earned than they were in the soft skills acquired through their college education. Yet, the importance of a college degree was not minimized by the respondents, several of whom raised questions as to the issues that should be addressed in striking a balance between their workforce needs and the degrees offered/curricula adopted by the University System institutions. In the words of one individual interviewed, the task remains as to how to bridge the gap between academics and the real world ... to bring academics and work together. The first steps to bridging that gap appear to have been taken through ICAPP. However, for the agribusiness industry, successfully accomplishing that goal will require appropriate responses to several questions including:
1. For what type of college graduate do agribusinesses seek and what knowledge, skills and abilities should they possess?
2. Will the agribusiness industry provide sufficient job openings to employ the graduates generated within the University System and by other institutions of higher education in the State?
3. What steps can be taken to meet employers` needs for college-educated workforce?
Addressing issues raised by the first two questions will be the focus of this chapter. We will explore projected growth in employment by sector as a proxy for growth in demand for labor. These numbers will be compared to the average graduation numbers by occupational cluster from the previous chapter. The potential gap analysis will discuss differences between the projected number of jobs in Georgia and the U.S. based on estimates using the latest industry employment figures. Occupational outlooks for the State will be discussed in light of projected growth and decline sectors within Georgia`s agribusiness industry. As previously noted, projections are available to 2014 for Georgia and to 2016 for the U.S. To determine potential gaps, the data will be analyzed by educational level requirements, only considering those job titles within occupational clusters that require some college training (associate`s degrees and above). This will provide an estimate of college-educated graduates available to fill positions within the State`s agribusiness sector. The focus of the discussion is on identifying the skills necessary to meet the market`s need for workers. Finally, the analysis compares the trends in supply and demand to identify areas for further research in terms of future program options. Potential responses to the third question will be raised in the subsequent chapter.

44 ICAPP Overview at http://www.icapp.org/about/ A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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Workforce Gap Analysis

To determine likely gaps in the agribusiness labor market, these projections must be compared to available agribusiness-trained graduates. The methodology used herein is based on that developed by Purdue University for the USDA in preparing its annual report on employment opportunities for college graduates in agricultural-related programs.45 The methodology involves the following steps:
1. Identification of relevant NAICS codes, CIP codes, and SOC codes for the agribusiness industry.
2. Calculation of employment opportunities by SOC and educational levels for the State for those occupations identified with the relevant NAICS codes for the agribusiness industry. Using the Georgia Department of Labor projections (for state-level data) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics projections (for national-level data),estimates were derived for the number of job openings by educational level for those occupations s developed by the Panel of Experts associated with the USDA study
3. Calculation of degrees and certificates awarded by University System institutions by CIP which were then organized into occupational clusters consistent with the USDA study.46
4. Using the weights developed by the Panel of Experts associated with the USDA study, degrees and certificates awarded by CIP codes within the USG institutions were assigned to occupational clusters as follows:
a. management and business occupations b. scientific and engineering occupations c. agricultural and forestry production occupations d. education, communication, and governmental services occupations
5. The projected job openings were weighted based on the weights developed by the Panel of Experts associated with the USDA study to reflect the percentage of jobs within each occupation (by SOC code) that would require expertise gained from agricultural-related disciplines. However, unlike the USDA study, for this report, the decision was made to exclude from the calculations all occupations that required less than 5% of expertise from agricultural-related disciplines. The USDA study included occupations that required as little as 1% of expertise within these disciplines.
6. Based on these occupational cluster allocations, the data on job opening projections for Georgia were compared to the average annual degrees awarded for the period 2002 2006. It should be noted that these annual figures do not represent the total available supply of labor in these disciplines for the following reasons:
a. the numbers exclude the small number of awards from non-member USG institutions. b. there is no account made for migration of graduates into Georgia or form Georgia who seek
employment in other states or internationally. c. all graduates do not immediately seek employment upon graduation. The USDA estimates are
that 2% of graduates do not enter the labor market. In addition, the experts estimated that 24.74% of undergraduates will pursue graduate degrees and 19.02% of master degree recipients will pursue doctoral level studies. 47

45 Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in the U.S. Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resources System 2005-2010, USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, pp 1- 6.
46 The analysis was limited to USG institutions only as the number of degrees I agribusiness-related disciplines by other institutions in Georgia were insufficient to impact the results of the projections.
47 Employment Opportunities for College Graduates, Methodology, p 2

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7. The distribution of employment (projected job openings) was then compared to distribution of degrees and awarded (based on the 5-year average for the 2002-2006 period) within the University System. The analysis of potential gaps was then based on the comparison of the two distributions.

An Alternative View of the State Labor Market Picture

According to the 2014 long term employment projections published by the Georgia Department of Labor (DOL), total employment in Georgia is expected to increase from 4.21 million in 2004 to 4.97 million, a projected annual increase of 1.7%. By sectors, the goods-producing sectors, including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting, is expected to add about 50,000 jobs over the ten year period, a growth rate of a mere 0.7% annually, largely accounted for by replacement positions. Within that sector, agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting will grow by a projected rate of just 0.2% per year. On the other hand, the service-producing sector is projected to add roughly 700,000 jobs by 2014, an increase about 14 times larger that of the goods-producing sector. As a result, the goods-producing sector`s share of total employment will fall from 16.6% to 15% while the service-providing sector`s share will increase from 76.8% to 78.7%. The remaining share of total employment is accounted for by self-employment, which will fall from 6.6% to 6.3%. In the services-providing sector, professional and business services is projected to rise at an annual rate of 2.9%, the fastest growing of any occupational group. Slowest growth will be recorded in manufacturing (0.1%), natural resources and mining (0.4%) and government (0.6%).
Table 5.1 Long Term Occupational Projections to 2014 by Industry

Category I II III
IV

Long-Term Occupational Projections to 2014
Georgia - Statewide

INDUSTRY TITLE
Total Self-Employed and Unpaid Family Workers, Primary Job

2014 Projected Employment
310,740

Total Change in Employment
33,470

Goods-Producing

747,845

48,580

Natural Resources and Mining

53,105

1,819

Construction

241,932

41,936

Manufacturing

452,808

4,825

Services-Providing

3,913,016

684,692

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities

960,556

129,602

Information

137,859

18,422

Financial Activities

239,714

18,795

Professional and Business Services

676,635

165,964

Education and Health Services

919,327

205,193

Leisure and Hospitality

453,831

94,459

Other Services (Except Government)

199,731

34,176

Government

325,363

18,081

Total Employment, All Jobs

4,971,740

766,690

Annual Growth
Rate
1.2%
0.7% 0.4% 1.9% 0.1% 1.9% 1.5% 1.5% 0.8% 2.9% 2.6% 2.4% 1.9% 0.6% 1.7%

Source: Georgia Department of Labor

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While it is interesting to view the data by NAICS codes, given the wide range of NAICS codes across which agriculture-related programs cross, it is more useful to analyze the data by occupations and CIP in order to better understand the trends and projections. . By typical educational attainment, growth rates are projected to be highest for associate`s (level 6) and certificate award holders (level 7) for all occupations across the State, Growth in occupations requiring some college education is expected to exceed growth in the State. However, the number of projected openings will be less than half that for positions for which the typical educational attainment level is a high school diploma or lower (51,560 and 126,420 respectively) for all occupations within the State.
Table 5.2 Long Term Occupational Projections to 2014 by Educational Levels

Long Term Occupational Projections to 2014 Georgia Statewide
All Occupations by Education Levels

Education & Training Code

2014 Projected Employment

Total Change in Employment

Annual Growth
Rate

Annual Openings
from Growth

Annual Openings from
Growth and Replacements *

1 - First Professional

59,790

10,360 1.9%

1,039

1,800

2 - Doctorate

24,390

5,200 2.4%

521

960

3 - Master's

62,410

11,790 2.1%

1,193

2,230

4 - Bachelor's + exp

295,780

53,750 2.0%

5,374

9,870

5 - Bachelor's

603,590

120,510 2.3% 12,104

21,080

6 - Associate's

183,230

42,360 2.7%

4,255

6,870

7 - Postsecondary vocational

253,240

47,580 2.1%

4,779

8,750

8 to 11 - No college education

3,439,600

470,590 1.5% 49,892

126,420

Total of reported data (excluding suppressed data)

4,922,030

762,140 1.7% 79,157

177,980

Total State of Georgia

DOL data (including

4,971,950

766,600 1.7% 79,642

179,500

suppressions)**

* Data rounded by DOL

** Suppressed data are not revealed in the publically downloadable files but included in the totals

computed by the DOL. Therefore, totals reported by educational level do not match the total number

reported elsewhere.

Assessing the Georgia Agribusiness Labor Market for College-educated Workers
Separating the state level data by occupations related to the previously-identified relevant NAICS codes, the picture changes substantially. Within the agribusiness sector, the number of job openings for occupations requiring a college degree (educational levels 1 - 6) is expected to increase at a rate just slightly faster (1.5%) than that for all occupations and educational levels for the overall agribusiness economy (1.4%). By 2014, the demand for college-educated workers in the agribusiness industry is expected to reach 18% of the total agribusiness workers, fueled in part by the increase in the annual openings from growth.

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Table 5.3 Long Term Occupational Projections to 2014, Agribusiness Industry by Educational Levels

Long-Term Occupational Projections to 2014 Georgia Statewide
Occupations Related to the Identified NAICS Codes Applicable to the Agribusiness Industry By Educational Levels

Education & Training Code

2014

Total

Projected Change in

Employment Employment

Annual Growth
Rate

Annual Openings
from Growth

Annual Openings*

2 Doctorate
3 Master`s
4 Bachelor`s + experience
5 Bachelor`s
6 Associate`s Total- college-educated: degrees (levels 1-6) 7 Postsecondary vocational Total college-educated: degrees + certificates (levels 1-7) Total no college-education (levels 8 11) College-educated as % of agribusiness workforce

420 1,940 18,440 23,500 5,870 50,170
700
50,870
244,720
17.2%

90 140 3,100 2,660 770 6,760
40
6,800
32,100
17.5%

2.5% 0.8% 1.9% 1.2% 1.4% 1.5% 0.6%
1.5%
1.4%
1.5%

9 18 311 274 89 701
5
706
3,218
18.0%

20 60 650 680 170 1,580 20
1,600
7,720
17.2%

Total Georgia Agribusiness

295,590

38,900

1.4%

3,924

9,320

* Data rounded by DOL ** suppressed data are not revealed in the publically downloadable files but included in the totals computed by the DOL. Therefore, totals reported by educational level do not match the total number reported elsewhere.

Approximately 1/3 of the respondents expected their general and college educated workforces to grow at a rate similar to that of the overall agribusiness industry as projected by the DOL (more than 6% over the five year period) while roughly 25% projected a rate slower than that projected by the DOL.48 These differences may be based on the fact that the survey respondents have a shorted projection time frame and more recent economic data on which to base their projections. Nevertheless, the rates are sufficiently similar to allow continued analysis on the basis of the DOL figures.

Table 5.4 Projected Growth Rates based on Survey Responses

Workforce Considered
General workforce College-educated workforce

Increase > 10%
20.1% 17.6%

Increase 6-10%
9.5% 15.3%

Increase 3-5%
15.1% 11.8%

Increase 1-2%
12.8% 15.9%

No Change
29.6% 25.3%

Decrease
3.4% 0.0%

Don't Know/
Not Sure 9.5%
14.1%

48 This assumes a simple average over the five year period and ignores the effects of compounding.

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Future Job Growth

Using the framework provided by the USDA study, gap analyses were performed under various assumption and data projections to determine likely scenarios for the agribusiness labor market. In all scenarios, the available supply was based on the average number of degrees conferred within the University System for the five-year period of 2002-2006. For the first set of projections, the assumption was made that all graduates were available to enter the job market upon graduation. On that basis, the distribution of graduates by occupational clusters was compared to the same distribution for employment projections using the 2014 projections from the Georgia Department of Labor to estimate the demand in Georgia, and the 2016 projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the US projections.
It is important to recognize the assumptions made by the Georgia Department of Labor in arriving at its projections and the data limitations imposed by suppressed data fields as these assumptions lead to an underestimation of the projected demand for college-educated labor.
1. No major changes are assumed in technology, economic trends and structure of the state and national economies, employer`s staffing patterns or business practices, or population growth rates and age distributions.
2. Data for teachers is suppressed, underestimating the demand for master`s level graduates
Notwithstanding these limitations and recalling the cautions discussed in Chapter 1, the data are useful in computing likely scenario for future demand for college-educated labor.
Those projections yielded the following result:
1. The distribution of graduate degrees for science and engineering occupations more closely matched the GA and US distributions than did the undergraduate distribution.
2. The distribution of undergraduate degrees for management and business occupations more closely matched the GA and US distributions than did the graduate distribution.
3. The distributions of both graduate and undergraduate degrees for agricultural and forestry production occupations closely matched the GA and US distributions.
4. Neither the distributions of graduate nor undergraduate degrees for education, communication, and governmental services occupations closely matched the GA or US distributions
Table 5.5 Average Production of Awards by Occupation and Award Levels, USG, 2002 - 2006

Distribution of the Supply of Graduates in Agricultural and Allied Programs by Occupational Cluster, USG 2002 2006

Occupational Clusters

Distribution of Distribution

Undergraduate of Graduate

Awards

Awards

GA Demand - 2014
Estimates1

U.S. Demand - 2016
Estimates2

Scientific and Engineering

19.3%

32.6%

33.0%

28.3%

Management and Business

41.8%

28.6%

39.9%

43.5%

Agricultural and Forestry Production

21.1%

15.3%

14.7%

16.9%

Education, Communication, and Governmental Services

17.8%

23.5%

12.4%

11.3%

1 Georgia - annual job openings to 2014 - using the 2004 DOL projections.

2 US - average job openings to 2016 generated using 2006 BLS national projections and the methodology of the USDA study.

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The results might suggest that the emphasis areas of graduates within the University System is well matched to projected demand for workers with undergraduate degrees in management and business, and agricultural and forestry production occupations. Graduate trends appear to be consistent with projected state and national demand in scientific and engineering, and agricultural and forestry production occupations. Conversely, the data might suggest a potential overemphasis on graduate degrees in management and business and on undergraduate programs in education, communication, governmental services. Further analysis would be necessary to ascertain the specific programs within these occupational occupation clusters that may have contributed to the skewed results.

For the second analysis, the five-year average number of degrees awarded by occupational cluster was compared to the projected number of job openings for positions requiring a college degree (at least an associate`s degree) using the following projections:

1.

2004 Georgia Department of Labor estimates of job openings from growth and net

replacements to 2014.

2.

2000 USDA study estimates of job openings from growth and net replacements using the

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projections to 2010.

3.

Average job openings to 2016 generated from 2006 BLS national projections and the

methodology of the USDA study.

Relative to the projected demand, these projections indicate a potential over-emphasis on disciplines associated with programs in management and business, education, communication, agricultural and forestry production, and governmental services-related occupations. Conversely, there appears to be an under production of degrees in scientific and engineering occupations. On the national level, there would be sufficient demand to absorb the additional graduate, suggesting that an out-migration of graduates would be necessary. However, the analysis made no adjustments for differences in degree award level.

Table 5.6 Average Production of Degrees by Occupation and Award Levels, USG, 2002 - 2006

5 Year Average Supply of Graduates and Projected Demand in Agricultural and Allied Programs by Occupational Cluster and Degree Level
USG, 2002 2006
Projected Annual Job Growth

Occupational Clusters

USG Degrees Conferred in Agriculture and Allied Disciplines

Georgia2

U.S. to 2010 Using USDA 3

U.S. to 2016 (Study Model)4

Total 1 Undergraduate Graduate

Scientific and Engineering

179

97

82

242 12,916 14,080

Management and Business

280

Agricultural and Forestry Production

142

208

72

293 24,125 21,611

103

39

108 8,022 8,396

Education, Communication, and Governmental Services

147

88

59

91 6,967 5,594

Average Annual values

748

496

253

734 52,030

1 Note: Numbers by category may not sum to the total due to rounding. The total includes only degrees (levels 1-6)

49,680

2 Georgia - annual job openings to 2014 - using the 2004 DOL projections. 3 US - average job openings to 2010 based on the USDA study using 2000 BLS national projections. 4 US - average job openings to 2016 generated from 2006 BLS national projections and the methodology of the USDA study.

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The third scenario involved the inclusion of adjustments to both the supply and demand sides of the projections to reflect the reductions necessary to account for:
1. the 2% of graduates who do not enter the workforce (USDA study findings) 2. the undergraduates who pursue graduate school (24.74%) and the master`s graduates who
pursue advanced certificates and/or doctoral programs (19.02%) (USDA study findings). 3. job openings in the agribusiness sector that may be filled by persons from programs other than
agricultural and allied disciplines (including business). Adjustments were made to the number of job openings in agribusiness to be filled by persons with agricultural and allied discipline degrees using the estimates developed by the Panel of Experts associated with the USDA study.
These adjustments were based on the findings of the USDA study.49 Subsequent to applying these adjustments, the analysis was rerun to compare the adjusted supply figures to the amended demand projections.
Based on the average degree production over the 2002 2006 period, the calculations show an overall shortfall between the number of graduates and the projected annual openings for all degree levels. The gaps are largest for education, communication, and government services occupations and smallest for scientific and engineering occupations.
Table 5.7 Comparison of Supply and Demand for College-Educated Workers, by Occupational Cluster

Calculations of Projected Demand (by Employment Openings) and Supply of Graduates (Average Degrees Conferred), Adjusted for Market Factors Agricultural and Allied Programs by Occupational Cluster, 2002 - 2006

Occupational Clusters
Scientific and Engineering Management and Business Agricultural and Forestry Production Education, Communication, and Governmental Services Total by Occupations

5 year Adjusted Average (Supply)
141 214 106
115

Georgia Annual
Employment Openings to
2014 (Demand)
195 320 163
367

GA Gap Openings
Less Average Graduates
46 65 57
219

Employment Openings Less
Average Supply(Qd-Qs)
"Shortage" "Shortage" "Shortage"
"Shortage"

577

1,045

387 "Shortage"

Note: Numbers by category may not sum to the total due to rounding.

The analysis by occupational clusters suggested that a shortage existed among all occupational clusters after adjustments were made for market factors. Again, pending further research, it would be too risky to hazard a guess as to the underlying factors contributing to the shortage. However, we should not ignore the underreporting of job openings at the graduate level due to data suppression in the publicly accessible data for vocational teachers and economics teachers at the state level. This additional demand is assumed on the basis of the reported shortage of master`s level graduates at the national level where employment openings in education are not suppressed. For Georgia, the published projections indicate only 60 job openings per year for master`s qualified applied which would appear to be an underestimation of the true opening were the suppressed data revealed. Since other occupations also

49 Employment Opportunities for College Graduates, Methodology, p2.

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contained suppressed data, it would be reasonable to assume that the projected job openings underestimate the likely number of job openings that would be available annually in the State.
Chart 5.1 Projected Gap in Georgia's Agribusiness Labor Market for College-Educated Workers, by Occupational Cluster, to 2014

Although the methodology has been useful in creating potential scenario for further discussion, it would be wise to note the limitations of the analysis, some of which include:
1. It ignores the tendency of employers to promote internal candidates so that the number of job openings open to external applicants and recent graduates may be significantly less that the projected number.
2. It ignores net migration of workers into the state of Georgia (increasing supply) and out of Georgia (decreasing supply).
3. It assumes that all applicants are equally qualified for all open positions so that a person holding an associate`s degree, for example, could successfully apply for any positions requiring any level of college education.
4. It assumes that there is perfect mobility and transfer of information so that applicants know of all open positions and are unrestricted in their ability to apply for positions across the State.
5. It excludes any discussion of the fit between job applicants and open positions. As the survey responses demonstrated, employers are looking for more than just technical skills in filling agribusiness positions. Oral and written communication skills, leadership and initiative, customer service, among others, are attributes that employers value in the current labor market.
Notwithstanding, the analysis provides a good first base for further evaluation of degree program trends and foci for the future in the System`s efforts to enhance its links and responsiveness to the needs of the State`s agribusiness employers.
Survey Data the Search for Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
As noted, these projections provide an effective first step for further labor market analysis of the quantity of labor demanded and supplied. However, they ignore the issues of fit and quality of applicants in meeting the specific workforce needs of Georgia`s agribusiness employers for college-educated workers. Recognizing the difference between the quantity of labor and the quality of labor, the DOL also computes

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projections for skills-based` employment to 2014.50 Consistent with the results from the survey of agribusiness employers, the DOL projected that communication skills, customer and personal service skills, decision and problem-solving skills, and interpersonal skills will be critical skills needed in the workforce of the future. These critical issues must receive attention in addressing agribusiness employers` needs for both the quality and quality of workers produced by Georgia`s higher education system.

Considering that the labor market projections say little about the content of programs or curricula design, the impacts on the type of workers sought by employers due to the anticipated changes in the agribusiness industry must be evaluated. In responding to the question about the impact that future technological changes in the agribusiness industry will have on the skills needed by the industry, more than 75% of the survey respondents indicated that there are likely to be some industry changes that would impact the skills or training needed in the workforce (responses other than no). Of the respondents, thirty four provided more detail of the likely changes. Those changes included information technology, bio energy, sustainability, waste management, and marketing. A summary of the responses is provided below.

Table 5.8 - Projections of Anticipated Changes in Technology and Innovations by Agribusiness Employers

In your sector of the industry, are there any innovations or new technology likely in the foreseeable future that would require new skills
or training?

Answer Options

Response Percent Response Count

Yes - A significant number

10.7%

Yes - A moderate amount

34.5%

Yes - A few

31.5%

No

23.2%

If appropriate, please provide more information.

answered question

18 58 53 39 34 168

Table 5.9 Examples of Types of Anticipated Changes in Technology and Innovations by Agribusiness Employers

Anticipated Technology Changes and Innovations Alternative Energy
Conservation
Food Safety Management and Marketing
Skill Needs
Technology

Examples of Expected Changes
i. Biofuel From Forest operations ii. Alternative energy sources i. Sustainability and Organics ii. Energy Conservation i. Food Distribution Safety/Safety and quality foods (SQF) ii. New Food applications to improve shelf stability i. Office Management/Time Management ii. Marketing of value-added or organic products i. More training for workers in operating fertigation systems ii. Knowledge of waste-energy solutions and engineering software iii. New machinery skills such as New pulping technology i. Computerization of Farmers Grain Tickets and Records ii. Transportation Technology iii. Precision Agriculture iv. Nanotechnology; Artificial Intelligence (AI); mapping skills

50 Georgia Skills-based Employment Projections, downloadable from www.dol.state.ga.us

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While it is yet unclear as to the extent to which these anticipated changes will impact survey respondents in the long run, it is clear that the respondents are already seeking solutions to the issues that they raise for the agribusiness labor market. Employers appear to have developed diverse strategies for finding college-educated applicants for positions. They are relying less on graduate placement resources available at colleges and more on internal promotions and employee referrals. Surprisingly, GeorgiaHIRE was not a resource with which employers were familiar; 85% of respondents had not availed themselves of the opportunities available through GeorgiaHIRE to reach college-educated applicants. Also surprising was the low reliance on college career fairs and placement offices, although the reason was not apparent.
Table 5.10 Recruitment Strategies Employed by Survey Respondents

Which of the following methods do you use to recruit college-educated applicants?

Answer Options

Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Response

(> 90%) (51-90%) (26-50%) (1- 25%) (0%)

Count

Promote from within

6.0%

35.6%

32.9% 10.1% 15.4%

149

Hire current interns
Recruit competitors` employees

2.1%

6.9%

25.0% 21.5% 44.4%

144

0.0%

14.8%

27.5% 20.4% 37.3%

142

Recruit at college career fairs

4.2%

4.9%

16.8% 23.8% 50.3%

143

Use recruiting/search firms

1.4%

9.9%

12.0% 21.8% 54.9%

142

Referrals from employees

3.4%

21.6%

41.9% 16.9% 16.2%

148

University placement offices

2.1%

4.2%

21.0% 32.2% 40.6%

143

Personal contacts at universities
GeorgiaHIRE.com

7.6%

11.8%

23.6% 19.4% 37.5%

144

0.0%

1.5%

3.7%

9.7% 85.1%

134

Other

24

Other recruitment outlets included industry contacts, Craig`s List, and the Internet, including Monster.com. Despite the fact the effectiveness of those alternative outlets cannot be established, the conclusions that can be drawn from these results are that employers are inclined to seek alternative recruitment strategies for reaching college-educated applicants and are not limiting themselves to the traditional outlets provided by colleges. However, they were open to exploring closer contacts with universities in their search for qualified applicants who are college-educated. Employers were optimistic that access to a university-managed resume bank and established internship programs would be somewhat or very important to the growth of their companies. In addition, other recommendations from employers included the establishment of agricultural-degree specific university career centers that would serve only those students majoring in agricultural-related degree programs (17 responses).
Table 5.11 Programs Appropriate to Responding to Future Recruitment Needs

In considering your future need for college-educated workers, which of the following programs would be important to the growth of your company?

Answer Options

Very Somewhat

Not

Don't Know/ Response

Important Important Important

Not Sure

Count

Access to a universitymanaged resume bank

34 (21.7%)

65 (41.4%)

32 (20.4%)

26 (16.6%)

157

Established internship programs

36 (22.8%)

68 (43.0%)

33 (20.9%)

21 (13.3%)

158

University sponsored on-site instruction

19 (12.3%)

61 (39.4%)

45 (29.0%)

30 (19.4%)

155

Answered question

160

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Nearly 2/3 of the respondents indicated that growth of their companies was not limited by lack of access to quantity or quality of college graduates.
Table 5.12 Effect of the Quantity and Quality of Graduates on Business Expansion

Has your company's expansion efforts or plans been hindered in any way by the quality or quantity of a college-educated workforce in Georgia?

Answer Options
Quality Quantity

Yes - A lot

Yes - Some Yes - A little

No

2.4% 3.4%

16.5% 13.4%

15.3% 15.4%

65.9% 67.8%

If appropriate, please share how plans have been impacted

Response Count
170 149
21

Varied types of problems were reported by the 21 respondents who disclosed the nature of the impacts on business expansion. A summary of the responses is provided below:
Table 5.13 Summary of Issues Raised by Respondents that Limit Business Expansion

Issues Raised that Limit Expansion
Lack of diversity of graduates Difficulty filling rural and remote counties, especially with county agents Inadequate level of technical knowledge in forestry A lack of "broad perspective" and knowledge in food industry Graduates not "workforce ready" Longer work days and careers required for skilled professionals because of difficulty finding qualified workers A lack of work ethic Forced to leave positions unfilled because of labor shortage
For employers with current college-educated staff members, unrealistic employees` promotion and/or salary expectations was the single most significant factor in employer`s ability to recruit and retain collegeeducated workers. Lack of interest in relocating did not pose a significant problem for employers with more than 30% of respondents indicating that this issue was not important.
Table 5.14 Impact of Employee Characteristics on Recruitment and Retention

What has been the impact of the following on your company's ability to recruit and retain college-educated employees?

Answer Options
Inadequate subject matter knowledge Lack of prior work experience Lack of interest in relocating Employee expectations not consistent with actual job requirements Employees` unrealistic promotion and/or salary expectations

More than 50% of the
time 28.1% 20.7% 28.3%
32.8%

Average 31-50%
21.5% 34.7% 14.2%
27.9%

Less than 30% of the
time 31.4% 24.8% 26.7%
23.0%

Not at All
19.0% 19.8% 30.8%
16.4%

Response Count
121 121 120
122

38.7%

27.4%

22.6% 11.3%

124

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Employers who had college graduates currently on staff expressed having few difficulties in filling vacant positions. Major recruiting problems were reported only in the areas of food/agricultural security and midlevel management where more than one third of the respondents experienced recruitment problems in filling at least 50% of their vacant positions in those fields. More than 25% of respondents expressed some problems, at least 50% of the time, in filling positions in entry-level management, marketing and sales, and business operations. On the other hand, fewer than one in five employers who had prior vacancies experienced problems filling positions in waste management or communications and public relations. Of those who reported recruiting problems in other areas, statistics and agricultural mechanization were most often cited.
Table 5.15 - Difficulties Experienced in Filling Vacant Positions

When you have vacant positions, for what proportion of the vacancies in the following fields has it been difficult to find applicants with college degrees?
If you have had vacancies in a particular field but never experience problems filling the vacancies, select "Never"

Answer Options

Frequently (More than 50%)

Never (0%)

Response Count

Mid-level management Entry level management Engineering and technical IT/Computer science Marketing and sales Business operations Communications & Public Relations (P.R.) Waste management Research/education Production and processing Food/agricultural security

31.8%

29.4%

85

29.4%

18.8%

85

30.9%

21.8%

55

21.5%

20.0%

65

26.2%

16.9%

65

28.8%

19.2%

73

15.4%

32.3%

65

18.5%

44.4%

27

21.2%

39.4%

33

23.8%

17.5%

63

42.1%

15.8%

19

In spite of their relative success in finding college-educated workers, employers were interested in seeking assistance in providing additional training to their current employees. Interest in specific subject matter course work and foreign language training was low. On the other hand, strong interest was expressed in professional development and moderate to strong interest in technology training.

Table 5.16 Interest in Educational/Training Programs for Current Employees

How interested would you be in considering the following educational/ training programs for your current workforce? Level of interest:

Answer Options

Very Moderately Slightly Not Responses

Job-specific education and training

20.4%

32.2% 20.4% 27.0%

152

Professional development (incl. customer

service, team building, cultural competence,

23.8%

28.8% 23.1% 24.4%

160

leadership)

Technology training (including agricultural
mechanization, computer hardware and software)

16.3%

26.8% 27.5% 29.4%

153

Specific subject matter college course work or certificates

12.8%

20.3% 24.1% 42.9%

133

Basic skills (including written & oral
communication, mathematics, statistics

18.6%

24.8% 20.5% 36.0%

161

Foreign language training

12.1%

16.6% 24.2% 47.1%

157

166

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Summary
As with all projections, concern must be expressed for the static nature under which such estimates are computed including the assumption that little change will occur in the fundamental economic structure. As we have seen in recent months, factors such as energy and food prices or salmonella outbreaks can have significant effects on consumer spending and the overall economy. In addition, population shifts and changes in participation rates of high school students to college can also impact labor market patterns. However, while caution should be exercised in interpreting the projections, it is clear from the analyses that some consideration should be given to the degree programs offered and the content of these programs. For instance, repeated requests from employers for students with an understanding of both the technical and business sides of agribusiness should not go unheeded. . Further, given the higher mobility rates of the current generation of workers, the labor force cannot be viewed exclusively in terms of regional or state boundaries. At the same time that graduates from other states may seek employment in Georgia, persons earning degrees within Georgia may seek employment in other states or in international labor markets. The effect of this labor migration in the agribusiness sector is not yet fully understood or researched. For this reason, for further analysis, an analysis of Georgia`s graduation numbers in the context of the national picture would be critical to framing a more accurate picture of the potential labor market for college-educated graduates in Georgia`s agribusiness sector.
Regardless of the data shortcomings, from all indications, Georgia`s agribusiness employers are pleased with the quality and quantity of graduates produced by the University System. The question that remains, however, is how these responses will correlate with the state and national projections of labor market shifts in the next six to ten years. It is yet to be determined whether or not the projected changes will significantly impact production and labor market patterns in the agribusiness industry. From all indications, the agribusiness industry will continue to play a significant role in the State`s economy from both an output and employment perspective. Nonetheless, the labor market shortages suggested by the previous analyses must be reviewed in light of the skills shortages suggested by the survey responses. That technological change will generate changes in the demand for skills is no surprise. The labor market success will depend on the adoption of successful strategies to both anticipate and respond to these changes. For instance, the congruence between the skills identified by the survey respondents and those identified by the DOL, suggests that attention should be paid to the agribusiness curriculum in responding to employers` needs.

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Chapter 6: Implications and Recommendations
Introduction
Without question, Georgia`s agribusiness industry has played, and will continue to play, a critical and strategic role in sustained economic growth in the State. However, changes in the structure of the State`s economy, due largely to national and global economic shifts, will result in substantial changes in the structure of production. This has already been observed in textile and apparel manufacturing where job losses had led to changes in the relative share of those commodities in the State`s economy. Considerations of workforce demand and supply conditions cannot ignore these shifts over time and their impacts on projections. As Georgia`s competitive advantages change with national and global competition, the link between higher education and industry needs to be more cohesive to ensure that graduates possess the skills and knowledge needed to support changing industries. As demand shifts from graduates in disciplines linked to declining industries to ones with training in emerging industries, higher education must stand ready to expand and contract programs and redesign curricula as necessary. This point is made clear by Chaffee who stressed the importance of viewing employers as customers of institutions of higher education: As he stated like it or not, and whatever else may be in the mission statement, preparing future employees is absolutely fundamental to the purpose of all postsecondary education.51
Agribusiness Employers` Workforce Perspective
When asked to comment on various aspects of the agribusiness college-educated workforce in Georgia, employers identified several shortcomings about the quality of workers, the effectiveness of the higher education system, and offered suggestions for enhancing the future role that the USG can play in improving the workforce quality. Overall, employers were pleased with the level of technical training received by USG graduates. However, several employers expressed concern about the lack of professional skills such as oral and written communication, leadership/team building, initiative, and problem-solving skills. Industry-related experience, general agricultural knowledge, more realistic workplace expectations, and degrees in engineering were most often cited as skills/attributes desired by employers.
The need for responsiveness from higher education to industry was expressed by the respondents to the agribusiness needs assessment survey. Despite comments about their overall satisfaction with the quality and quantity of graduates produced by the University System, employers were generous in offering proposals to make the University System of Georgia more responsive to anticipated changes in the U.S. agribusiness industry. While several of the survey participants held the opinion that no changes were necessary (5 responses) or that they were not sufficiently aware of the issues to offer any recommendations (11 responses), the remaining respondents offered a wide range of proposals primarily focusing on the need for changes in curriculum and program content/design to changes in the structure of Georgia`s higher education system. By and large, recommendations focused on changes to the design and content of curricula so as to broaden the students` training in a wide range of issues beyond
51 Chaffee, E. E. (1990). Strategies for the 1990s. In L. W. Jones & F. A. Nowotony (Eds.). New directions for higher education: An agenda for the new decade. (No. 70, pp. 59-65). San Francisco: Josey-Bass cited in Carmelita A. Acciola

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textbook matters. Respondents felt that students should be able to understand and respond to changes in government policy, be able to develop niche markets for Georgia`s specialty crops, and receive additional training in subjects such as economics and accounting principles, business ethics, statistics, and leadership.

A few representative examples of the specific recommendations include the following:
[Offer] degrees in food processing and manufacturing, management, or engineering with an emphasis in a commodity, meat, poultry, vegetables, fruits.
Business courses - how to make a profit- common sense business classes - the need for ETHICS (emphasis theirs) in business.
More emphasis on agricultural government and policy.
More real business world curricula, in the form of sales training, marketing, and budget writing.
Curricula should be developed to prepare students for workforce entry. Students need additional training in practical arenas. Check turf programs at Miss State and Auburn.
Emphasize written and oral communication skills.
Food security will become a major issue as more production goes off-shore. We should maintain our ability to grow our own food crops and not let the technology escape us.
More business applications; real world; leadership, coaching and building a successful business and team.
Make more agricultural related courses available at community college, i.e. Darton College. Also, put back into force short courses on production methods, especially organic and sustainable.
More on farm training at the top facilities in Georgia. Taking Ag and Vet students out to actual good working farms.

Overall, recommendations relating to curriculum content and design represented almost 60% of all recommendations received, followed by program changes that required more hands-on training through internships, cooperative agreements, and job shadowing. The full text of the recommendations for degree and curricula changes by the categories identified below is contained in Appendix K.

Table 6.1 - Recommendations from Agribusiness Employers to Improve System Responsiveness Through Changes in Degree Programs and Curricula

What changes in degrees and curricula would you recommend to the University System of Georgia so that it could more readily respond to anticipated changes in the
U.S. agribusiness industry?

Broad Topic

Number of Recommendations

% of Total Recommendations

Programs - Curriculum Content/Design

38

57.6%

Programs - Hands-on Learning

14

21.2%

Programs - Skill Development

2

3.0%

Higher Education Structure

6

9.1%

Other Recommendations

6

9.1%

Total number of recommendations

66

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In summary, the recurring themes mentioned were business applications, communication, government/policy implications, internships and other real world types of preparation. Other topics mentioned included training in such fields as alternative fuels, water management, food security, immigration issues, work ethic, and increased emphasis on production agriculture. Some specific degrees/majors mentioned included ecosystem management; endangered species habitat management; GIS/GPS field use; prescribed fire management; wetland recognition, analysis and protection; and food processing and manufacturing, management.
In addition to the recommended changes in degrees and curricula, agribusiness employers also proposed several recommendations to be considered by the University System for improving its responsiveness to their needs. Recommendations were submitted by almost 20% of survey respondents. Again, responses were wide ranging in scope, with recommendations ranging from the need for internship and hands-on farm experience, to the establishment of real-world expectations for graduating students in areas such as salary and promotions. Others mentioned the pressing need for college educated farm managers, the importance of migrant worker issues, the need for access to top performing students prior to graduation, and the need for more graduates with degrees in agriculture and related fields. It was also suggested that a variety of classes be offered at locations around the State.
Included among the specific recommendations are the following:
We just need more graduates with degrees in agriculture and related fields.
Graduate students with a work ethic and useable skills
Specific training in both wholesale and retail farm supply marketing and business operations. In Georgia today there is a need for students in Ag to be better educated in the both the retail farm supply business, and the wholesale aspects of agribusiness.
More regular ongoing communications between the field work management site officials and the developers/managers of the college curriculum programs.
Not all positions require a 4 year technical degree. A good two year degree in basic subjects (math, English, people skills, scheduling, problem solving, teams, etc). would satisfy 75% of our labor requirements.
The majority of the available positions in the poultry industry are in the processing area. While the class load spends most of the time dealing with bird development.
UGA needs to better define Bio and Ag Engineering Degree and correlation with business needs.
Better access to the top performing students, one semester prior to graduation.
Help students understand what they will encounter when entering the job force - culture, pay, work expectations, ability to apply classroom knowledge to job, etc..
The market is changing rapidly. A course in self insured market planning for retirement for those of us with smaller companies. We might have a shot at some larger caliber players if they had additional nontraditional options.
We are desperate for college educated farm managers who are forward thinking, excellent in people management and have good organizational and multi tasking skills. An ability to speak Spanish would be a major plus. A farm manager also needs mechanical skills for operating and servicing equipment. I have personally solicited EVERY Agriculture University/College in the Nation seeking a farm manager with an ag degree or an ag degree student interested in produce marketing. I had 2 applicants from CA, neither were (sic) interested in a job or a paid internship in GA.

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...We should direct our efforts to a program that creates interactions between ABAC, Fort Valley and Tifton Center to create the Agriculture and Mechanical College of Georgia.
Combine training available at technical colleges and UGA and ABAC and Fort Valley State degree programs with intern programs so that the graduate understands theory, technology, and applied technology in real world settings. Many applicants today don't have rural agricultural backgrounds and you can't assume they have farming 101 as in the past.
The graduates need hands on practical agribusiness experience. They need to know how to run machinery.... They need to know the ins and outs of working livestock. The technical knowledge are (sic) great but they need to be prepared for more than just a job with the Extension Service or teaching.
...looking down the road I think character is the most single attribute for my operation- certainly knowledge is important but I believe we all need to know more about "business" and what makes some successful and others less so- High Ethical Standards are still needed even in this hi tech computer age- but as anyone can see we, in our society, are losing this important item- I'm not sure you can teach it like say math- but without it- it would be difficult to succeed.
Table 6.2 Additional Workforce Issues to be Considered by the University System in Ensuring Responsiveness to Agribusiness Workforce Needs

Recommendations52
Addressing program design and curriculum needs Changing the USG structure Establishment of USG/industry partnerships and placement opportunities Anticipating and responding to industry and labor market changes None/ No comments/ Not Sure Other responses Total Number of Recommendations Received

Number of Relative Responses Distribution

17

43.6%

3

7.7%

2

5.1%

11

28.2%

3

7.7%

3

7.7%

39

__________________

Based on the data analysis, the recommendations offered by the survey respondents, and information gathered in preparing this report, the following proposals are submitted for further consideration. These recommendations offered below reflect those proposed by the Commission for a New Georgia`s Workforce Development Task Force that include:

1. Focusing on enhancing public/private partnerships; 2. Insuring that infrastructure and processes enable goal attainment; and 3. Communicating to all stakeholders the capabilities and successes of WFD [Work Force
Development] in Georgia.53

52 See Appendix K for full details of the recommendations offered.
53 Work Force Development Task Force Final Report , October 2004, p. 3 A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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Some Specific Strategies/Recommendations

A. Build Stronger Public/Private Partnerships

Enhancing the connection between the agribusiness industry and the higher education community is but the first step in the workforce development process. As identified by one of the respondents, one of the key elements of an enhanced public/private partnership must be a more transparent communication channel between higher education and industry that allows for clear and frequent discussion of the issues so as to identify and implement effective solutions. However, these links between the mission of the higher education system and Georgia`s agribusiness industry`s workforce development needs must remain sufficiently flexible to recognize and respond to shifts in global competitiveness and technological changes that are likely to impact the industry. Such a system could be accomplished by:

1. Including businesses leaders in advisory capacities on curricula and program development issues; inviting industry leaders to participate in the education process through guest lecturers; and the use of business information in case studies. Several survey respondents indicated their willingness to serve in such capacities; follow up with these businesses should be done, preferably by a single coordinator to establish consistent standards and expectations for the follow-ups.
2. Recognizing, as one respondent suggested, that faculty and students need to get out in the field and interact on a direct level with agribusiness leaders.
3. Providing broader and easier access to students by voluntary registration and placement surveys.

It should be noted that the recommendations included in the sections below draw from institutions outside the University System of Georgia. This in no way is meant to diminish the innovative practices already in place within the System. For instance, programs within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of Georgia, including the Agriscience and Environmental Systems degree that combines technical knowledge in science to business principles, demonstrate many of the recommendations included. However, efforts were made to include recommendations that could be adopted by institutions with small agribusiness programs or those without existing agribusiness degrees for whom these recommendations could serve to supplement degree offerings in colleges of business or science and technology.

Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Brief Description of the Practice/Program

Contact Information to Obtain More Details

Establish faculty and student

relationships

with

professional organizations

such as the University Food Industry Coalition54 to

provide opportunities for

faculty and student

research.

The current membership in the University Food Industry Coalition does not include any USG institutions.

The University Food Industry Coalition was formed in 2004 for the purpose of identifying ways to collaborate in order to maximize the value of combined academic and research programs to the food industry.

Dr. Dennis Degeneffe The Food Industry Center University of Minnesota Department of Applied Economics 1994 Buford Avenue St. Paul, MN 55108-6040
Phone: 612-625-7019 Fax: 612-625-2729
E-Mail: ddegenef@.umn.edu
URL: http://foodindustrycenter.umn.edu/

54 Downloaded September 12, 2008 from http://www.nationalgrocers.org/UniverCoalition/University%20Coalition.html.

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Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Brief Description of the Practice/Program

Contact Information to Obtain More Details

Penn State`s outreach efforts include the involvement of students in industry-based research through internships and cooperative arrangements.

Dr. Timothy Franklin, Director Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) The Pennsylvania State University 503 Keller Building University Park PA 16802

Phone: 814-865-0427 Fax: 814-865-3589
E-Mail: tvf2@psu.edu
URL: http://oewd.psu.edu

Create an interdisciplinary research program that connects faculty to industry leaders to identify and explore agribusiness-related issues and concerns.

The Unified Industry-Based Agriculture Initiative at Washington State is an academic-industry partnership designed to address the needs of the agricultural sector.

Dr. Ralph Cavalieri, Assoc. Dean and Director, Agricultural Research Center College of Agricultural, Human, & Natural Resource Sciences Washington State University PO Box 646240 Pullman, WA 99164-6240

Phone: 509-335-4563 Fax: 509-335-6751
E-Mail: agresearch@wsu.edu

The University of Minnesota has established partnerships with poultry producers as part of the Midwest Poultry Consortium. Students can earn credit for poultry courses completed through the Consortium`s summer program at the University of Wisconsin`s Madison campus. Tuition and room and board are paid for by the Consortium.

Dr. Sally L. Noll, Professor Poultry (Turkeys) Science Department of Animal Science 1364 Eckles Avenue St. Paul, MN 55108-6118
Phone: 612-624-2722 Fax: 612-625-5789
Direct line: 612-624-4928

E-Mail: nollx001@umn.edu

URL: http://www.mwpoultry.org/

Establish and/or enhance relationships (through a designated liaison) with the USDA`s Student Career Experience Program to provide internship and job opportunities for students and graduates.

The Student Educational Employment Program has two components; student temporary employment and student career experience. It is available to all levels of students: high school, vocational and technical, associate degree, baccalaureate degree, graduate degree, and professional degree students. (http://www.usajobs.gov/STUDENTS.asp)
Access to a current list of available opportunities is available at http://www.opm.gov/employ/students/index. htm.

The program is in place at several schools including:
College of Agriculture California State Polytechnic University, Pomona 3801 West Temple Avenue Pomona, CA 91768
Contact; Dr. Mon Yee USDA Liaison Officer Building 94, Room 358
Phone: 909-869-2191 Fax: 909-869- 2464

E-Mail: Mon.Yee@ca.usda.gov

URL: http://www.csupomona.edu/~agri/

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Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Brief Description of the Practice/Program

Contact Information to Obtain More Details

Establish and/or expand opportunities for academia and industry representatives to interact on relevant industry developments and needs. These discussions can be facilitated through seminars and workshops.

The SAREP invites Cooperative Extension personnel, researchers, administrators, government agencies, nonprofits, farmers and community participants to learn together about new county and regional food systems activities; share and discuss lessons learned, share ideas and insights across disciplines and between university and community partners; and network. (for more information, see http://sarep.ucdavis.edu/cdpp/lfs08/)

Dr. Tom Tomich, Director Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP) University of California One Shields Ave. Davis, CA 95616
Phone: 530- 752-7556 Fax: 530-754-8550
Direct line: (530) 752-2379 E-Mail: tptomich@ucdavis.edu

The Cornell Institute of Food Science is an interdisciplinary team of faculty scientists in food-related disciplines who, through the Cornell Associates Program, interact with industry representatives.

URL: http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/
Dr. Joseph H. Hotchkiss, Director Cornell Institute of Food Science Department of Food Science Cornell University 116 Stocking Hall Ithaca, New York, 14853-7201

Phone: 607-255-7616 Fax: 607-254-4868

Direct line: 607-255-7912 E-Mail: jhh3@cornell.edu
URL: http://www.foodscience.cornell.edu/

Develop a catalog of industry leaders, by enterprise/commodity, who might be available, across the State, to serve as guest lecturers, hosts for interns, volunteers on advisory boards, etc.

Ambitious yet invaluable undertaking.

Although several lists of speakers for specific programs/workshops exist, no single source was identified as currently providing such a catalog in the U.S.

B. Promote the Business of Agribusiness
Employers desired more generalized knowledge of the business side of agribusiness by incorporating management and entrepreneurship training into the curriculum. The message appeared to be the need for the development of skills such as initiative, problem-solving, collaboration in teams, rather than on simply knowing the text book material.

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Recommended Practice to be Adopted
Develop an introductory class on the economics of agribusiness at the freshman level that lays the foundations of agribusiness principles. Can be team taught as an elective in Area B and taught in agribusiness or business colleges.

Brief Description of the Practice/Program
Survey of Agribusiness courses that provide an Introduction to agribusiness management, including risk management, economic principles, finance, decision making, business law, marketing and careers in agribusiness.

Contact Information to Obtain More Details
Dr. Larry Van Tassell, Dep`t Head Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology Agricultural Science Bldg., Room 39A P. O. Box 442334 University of Idaho Moscow, ID 83844-2334
Phone: 208-885-7635 Fax: 208-885-5759

Direct line: 208-885-6264 E-Mail: larryv@uidaho.edu
URL: http://www.ag.uidaho.edu/aers/

Dr. Steven Waller, Dean College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Nebraska-Lincoln 103 Agricultural Hall P. O. Box 830702 Lincoln, NE 68583-0702

Phone: 402-472-2201 Fax: 402-472-2201 E-Mail: swaller1@unl.edu
URL: http://casnr.unl.edu/Home

Although outside the college of agriculture, this ebst practice provides a frame for developing a success-oriented environment for incoming freshmen whereby students learn by interacting with others to create solutions to problems.

Engineering Fundamentals Division 103 Estabrook Hall Knoxville, TN 37996-2353
Phone: 865-974-9810 Fax: 865-974-6162 E-Mail: efdinfo@utk.edu

URL: http://www.engr.utk.edu/efd/

Require a capstone course designed with the objective of integrating the agribusiness curriculum through hands-on applications, research, oral and written presentations, and case analyses.55

The course should include the application of knowledge to current agribusiness management issues and problems. The course can be interdisciplinary and offered in colleges of business and/or agriculture and allow students the opportunity to collaborate with faculty members in other disciplines on issues such as bioengineering, food safety, immigration law, environmental regulation, agricultural policy, sustainability, or bioterrorism.

Dr. Gary F. Fairchild Food & Resource Economics Dept College of Agricultural & Life Sciences University of Florida McCarty Hall A (MCCA) P.O. Box 110240 Gainesville, FL 32611-0240
Phone: 352-392-1826 ext. 217 E-Mail: gff@ufl.edu

The course offered by Dr. Fairchild is Contemporary Issues in Agribusiness Management.

URL: http://www.fred.ifas.ufl.edu/undergrad uate_syllabi.php

55 See Integrating Experiential Learning into College of Agriculture Capstone Courses: Implications and Applications for
Practitioners by Randall J Andreasen, (North American Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture) NACTA Journal, March 2004 and Agribusiness Capstone Courses Design: Objectives and Strategies by Charles R. hall et al, International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, Volume 6, Number 4, 2003.

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Recommended Practice to be Adopted
Incorporate business and management concepts into existing production/technical courses so that students understand the application of the technical knowledge to the management of the enterprise.

Brief Description of the Practice/Program
The capstone experience` at Connell University is designed for seniors and involves team identification and analysis of agricultural problems. Working in interdisciplinary groups, students design a project to evaluate and synthesize the problem, and develop possible options for dealing with the problem. The course also incorporates guest speakers and field trips
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Texas A & M University offer joint degree programs between business and Agricultural Sciences that include case studies, directed research, and practicum courses.

Contact Information to Obtain More Details
Dr. Antonio (Toni) DiTommaso Program Director 903 Bradfield Hall Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853
Phone: 607- 254-4702 Fax: 607- 255-3207 E-Mail: ad97@cornell.edu URL: http://agsci.css.cornell.edu/
Ms. Michelle Jacobs University of Nebraska-Lincoln Agribusiness Program, CBA 310 P.O. Box 880492 Lincoln, NE 68588-0492
Phone; 402- 472-2316 Fax: 402-472-9777 E-Mail: mjacobs1@unl.edu URL: www.cba.unl.edu/academics/agribusi ness/

Dr. John P. Nichols, Prof. & Head Department of Agricultural Economics Texas A & M University 332 Blocker, 2124 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2124
Phone: 979- 845-2116 Fax: 979- 862-1563 E-Mail: jpn@tamu.edu URL: http://agecon.tamu.edu/

At Clemson University, management principles are integrated into several agricultural-related programs, including forestry, animal science, and crop/plant science.56

Dr. John Sweeney, Interim Associate Dean for Academics College of Agriculture, Forestry & Life Sciences Clemson University Clemson, SC 29634-0101

Phone: 864- 656-3013

Direct line; 864-656-5333 E-Mail: jrswny@clemson.edu

URL: http://www.clemson.edu/cafls/

The University of Kentucky offers a course in the economic analysis of biosystems that explores the financial and managerial aspects of biosystems in evaluating design alternatives.

Dr. Sue Nokes Director of Undergraduate Studies Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering University of Kentucky 128 C.E. Barnhart Building Lexington, KY 40546-0276

Phone: 859-257-3000 ext. 215 E-Mail: snokes@bae.uky.edu URL: http://www.bae.uky.edu/

56 More information on course descriptions is available at http://www.registrar.clemson.edu/publicat/catalog/2008/courses.htm (Accessed on-line on September 12, 2008)

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Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Develop

interdisciplinary

courses that can be cross

listed across campus that

integrate agriculture and

agribusiness

concepts

through case studies, applied

research, and group/team

approaches.

Brief Description of the Practice/Program
Existing best practices examples at Florida A & M University and the University of Idaho, Moscow Campus include the integration of management and economics principles across the curriculum and the involvement of student and faculty teams to address real issues using a problemoriented approach and case studies.
Other cross-discipline programs at the University of Idaho include Political Science, Philosophy, Recreation, and Conservation Social Sciences.57

Contact Information to Obtain More Details
Dr. Makola Abdullah, Dean & Director College of Engineering Sciences, Technology and Agriculture (CESTA) Florida A & M University Perry-Paige Bldg., Room 217 South. Tallahassee, Florida 32307
Phone; (850) 561-2644 E-Mail: makola.abdullah@famu.edu
URL: http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?a=ce sta&p=DegreePrograms
Dr. Jan Boll, Director of Waters of the West

Phone; 208- 885-7324 E-Mail: jboll@uidaho.edu OR
Dr. Jon Van Gerpen, Professor and Department Head

Phone; 208- 885-7891 E-Mail: jonvg@uidaho.edu

Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering University of Idaho, Moscow Campus P.O. Box 440904 Moscow ID 83844-0904
URL: http://www.agls.uidaho.edu/bae/

Southern Illinois University offers an interdisciplinary class that incorporates concepts from the biological, physical and social sciences, economics, humanities and law, to environmental issues. Students will develop and demonstrate problemsolving skills as part of a team analyzing a regional environmental issue. Team-taught seminar style discussions. 58

Dr. Steven Edwin Kraft, Dep`t Chair Department of Agribusiness Economics Agriculture Building - Mailcode 4410 Southern Illinois UniversityCarbondale 1205 Lincoln Drive Carbondale, Illinois 62901
Phone: 618-453-2421 Fax: 618-453-1708 E-Mail: sekraft@siu.edu

Develop an interdisciplinary, freshman seminar course on Georgia's Strategic Industries that discusses Georgia`s economy, its challenges and opportunities, and the degree programs that contain course content appropriate to those challenges and opportunities.

Use of a seminar format would serve as an

opportunity to include industry leaders,

case studies, and written research

analyses. Such a course could also serve

as a recruitment tool to existing

agribusiness-related

undergraduate

programs within each institution and advise

students of available external degree

programs.

URL: http://www.coas.siu.edu/ No existing best practice` identified.

Ambitious yet invaluable undertaking.

57 Additional information about these courses can be obtained from the University of Idaho`s Undergraduate Course Catalog at http://www.students.uidaho.edu/catalogs/ (downloaded September 12, 2008).
58 ABE 470-3 Interdisciplinary Approaches to Environmental Issues. For further information, see http://www.coas.siu.edu/default2.asp?active_page_id=1301. (Accessed September 12, 2008)

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C. Expand Opportunities for Hands-on Learning

The development of professional skills could be enhanced in program curricula through more hands-on learning opportunities such as internships, job shadowing, and cooperative education experiences that allow students to interact with industry professionals. Despite the low level of significance attached to internship experiences among the required skills that employers value, the frequent recommendations of established internship and hands-on learning programs suggest that many employers appreciate the skills developed through such programs but were unsuccessful in establishing programs individually. In the words of one employer, [we have] tried internship programs and discontinued them interns did not show a pattern of returning as permanent employees. [We} would be willing to try again in conjunction with University system. This attitude is clearly reflected in the responses to the preferred skills for which employers seek where. Thus, although internships and prior work experience are not requirements for which employers seek, there is a strong preference for such experience; more than 50% of respondents preferred that employees have internship experience and more than 70% would prefer that employees have prior work experience. Nearly 90% of employers required or preferred that college-educated employees enter the workforce with prior work experience. In the final analysis, a structured hands-on learning process that affords students the opportunity to gain prior work experience in their disciplines, whatever the nature of that process, should be implemented. This will require the establishment of clear guidelines and expectations for both the student and employer and coordination across the University System so that there is inter-institutional exchange of information regarding interested students and employers. There is a need to enhance professional skills such as team building, customer service, interpersonal communication, and problem solving/critical thinking. As these skills tend to improve with actual workplace experience, increasing hands-on learning opportunities would directly benefit the growth of these skills through participation in such programs.

Expansion of hands-on learning opportunities could be implemented through existing infrastructure provided by the cooperative extension offices with coordination from a dedicated staff member within the System Office. Such an approach would be advantageous given the existing public/private partnerships between personnel in the extension offices and agribusiness enterprises throughout the State.

Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Brief Description of the Practice/Program

Contact Information to Obtain More Details

Introduce a required

introductory agribusiness

orientation course for

students admitted into the

major/minor. It could also

serve as an elective and

recruitment

tool

for

undeclared students.

This allows the student to gain a broader perspective of the issues within the major and to place those issues within the broader context of both the discipline and the macro economy. It would also introduce majors within the college, provide information that linked majors within a career path, and create opportunities for cross discipline research for both students and faculty.

Dr. Thomas Wahl , Chairperson Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics North Dakota State University Morrill Hall 217 Fargo, ND 58105
Phone: 701- 231-7441 Fax: 701- 231-7400 Direct line: 701-231-9481 E-Mail: tom.wahl@ndsu.edu URL: http://www.ext.nodak.edu/agecon

Dr. Craig Infanger, Director of Undergraduate Studies Department of Agricultural Economics University of Kentucky 400 Charles E. Barnhart Bldg Lexington, KY 40546-0276;
Phone: 859-257-5762 Fax: 859-323-1913;
Direct line: 859 257-7274 E-Mail: craig.infanger@uky.edu URL: http://www.uky.edu/Ag/AgEcon/

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Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Brief Description of the Practice/Program

Contact Information to Obtain More Details

Given the significance attached to this experience by employers, explore the addition of hands-on student learning experiences through a practicum course or a required internship in the major.

Several of the top agribusiness schools require an internship or practicum experience for graduating seniors. Clemson University`s animal science program offers both sophomore and advanced level internship programs and requires multi-semesters of Experience-Based Activity in the animal agribusiness concentration in the junior and senior years.

Dr. Mary Beck, Department Chair Animal & Veterinary Sciences College of Agriculture, Forestry & Life Sciences Clemson University Clemson, SC 29634
Phone: 864- 656-2570 Fax: 864- 656-3131 E-Mail: mbeck@clemson.edu
URL: http://www.clemson.edu/cafls/departments/

The College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at University of Missouri offers internships that can be either on campus (shadowing and conducting research with a faculty member) or off campus (with external employers).

Dr. Jan Dauve, Associate Professor & Director of Undergraduate Studies Department of Agricultural Economics 200 Mumford Hall Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: 573-882-6368 Fax: 573-882-3958

Direct line: 573-882-0137 E-Mail: dauvej@missouri.edu
URL: http://www.dass.missouri.edu/agecon/

Introduce a Professional Practices Course` that allows students to identify the soft skills with the technical knowledge needed to succeed within their career fields.

The University of Florida requires a one-hour course on professionalism and technical skills that covers such topics as ethics, continuing education, placement skills and professional development.

Dr. Dorota Z. Haman Professor and Chair Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering University of Florida PO Box 110570 Gainesville, FL 32611-0570

Phone: 352-392-1864 Fax: 352- 392-4092

Direct line: 352-392-1864 ext. 120 E-Mail: dhaman@ufl.edu

URL: www.aom.ufl.edu

Incorporate more interactive

instructional methods into

major classes that allow for

discussion and team

projects, analysis of case

studies,

computer

simulations, etc. in applying

business concepts to

agricultural-related problems.

Purdue University offers courses in strategic management that make extensive use of management case studies and a major term project with an agribusiness firm that focuses on developing managerial problemsolving skills. In addition, the program also includes classes in computer use in agricultural business and foundational and professional internship experiences. An orientation to agribusiness course is also a part of the curriculum.

Dr. Ken Foster, Professor & Interim Department Head Department of Agricultural Economics Purdue University 403 West State Street, Krannert Bldg. West Lafayette, IN 47906
Phone: 765-494-4191 Fax: 765-494-9176
Direct line: (765) 494-4191 E-Mail: kfoster@purdue.edu
URL: http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/undergrad/

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Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Brief Description of the Practice/Program

Contact Information to Obtain More Details

The case studies approach at Cameron University involves students in identifying problems and recommending solutions in actual business situations.

Dr. John Courington Professor of Economics & Chair School of Business Cameron University North Shepler Hall, Room 713 2800 W Gore Blvd Lawton OK 73505

Phone; 580.581.2267 Fax: 580.581.2954 E-Mail: johnc@cameron.edu URL: http://www.cameron.edu/business/

Revamp programs offered through career services offices that prepare students for careers by expanding program offerings to include enhancement of soft skills in addition to resume writing and interviewing techniques.

Yale School of Forestry offers a Professional Skills Module (PSM)` Program aimed at equipping students with the professional skills needed to succeed in careers as foresters, resource managers, and environmentalists. Managed by students with advice from the Career Development Office, the modules cover topics such as interpersonal, business, leadership, communication, and research skills. 59

Dr. Gordon Geballe, Associate Dean (other advisors: Professor Timothy G. Gregoire, Peter Otis, Director Career Development, and Professor Lloyd Irland)
Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies 205 Prospect St. New Haven, CT 06511
Tel: (203) 432-5122 Tel: (203) 436-4830 Direct line: 203- 432-5122 Email: gordon.geballe@yale.edu

URL: http://environment.yale.edu/current/CareerDevelopment/

D. Introduce More Flexibility in Curricula and Program Design
As one of the survey participants commented, Some current degree programs are too specific. [We] need more candidates with broader range of expertise. There was a recurring theme among survey respondents of the need for the following:
1. more business and management classes 2. a requirement for interpersonal communication 3. a focus on completing assignments through teams 4. more internship opportunities for students 5. the ability for students to understand state and federal policies that impact the
agribusiness industry 6. more business applications, real world leadership, coaching and building a successful
business and team 7. the incorporation of technology changes in classroom preparation 8. curricula that respond to emerging issues in the agribusiness industry, including
government and policy, production management, and resource.

59 Further information is available at http://environment.yale.edu/current/Professional-Skills-Modules/. Accessed on September 9, 2008.

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Table 6.3 - Top 5 Programs Helpful for Future Agribusiness Growth: In Ranked Order of Highest Responses to the Sum of Columns 2 (Very Helpful) and 3 (Somewhat Helpful)

How helpful would it be to the growth of your company if potential applicants had college-level training in the following subject matter/emphases?

Top 5 responses only (very helpful and somewhat helpful) (The complete list of responses is

included in Appendix I)

Don't

Very Somewhat Not Know/Not Response

Answer Options

Helpful Helpful Helpful

Sure

Count

Production Management

26.7%

46.7% 12.7%

14.0%

150

Ag Business Technology /Computers in Agriculture

25.7%

35.5% 26.3%

12.5%

152

Government and Policy

18.8%

36.2% 28.9%

16.1%

149

Resource Conservation

14.2%

37.2% 30.4%

18.2%

148

Agricultural Mechanization /Engineering Technology

12.0%

38.7% 32.7%

16.7%

150

Attention should be drawn to the fact that the System currently offers an associate`s degree in agricultural business technology but no programs in agricultural mechanization /engineering technology. However, the IPEDS reporting system does not include a CIP code for Production Management or Government and Policy. Production management topics are generally covered in Agricultural Production Operations (01.0301 and) 01.0399), animal science (01.0905, 0906, and 0907) and plant science (01.1101 and 1103) classes. Government and Policy issues are generally included in the syllabi for Farm/Farm and Ranch Management and Land Use Planning and Management/Development courses (01.0104 and 03.0206) respectively. The System currently offers several courses in resource economics (03.0101).

Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Brief Description of the Practice/Program

Contact Information to Obtain More Details

Explore the development of additional course work and electives in programs not currently available across the University System. The development of new business or agribusiness courses should focus on those fields where interest is highest among employers and for which institutions nationwide have experienced steady or increasing enrollments in the most recent years.

On the basis of the requests from the survey respondents, classes in government and policy, agribusiness technology/computers in agriculture, agricultural mechanization, production management and precision agriculture should be explored.
Nationwide, more than 900 degrees were awarded in CIP code 01-02 fields in 2005-06 at schools such as University of Illinois, Purdue University, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo, and Iowa State University. Nationwide, 501 degrees were awarded in Agricultural Production Operations (CIP 01.0301) (OSDS data).

Dr. K. C. Ting Professor and Department Head Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering Agricultural Engineering Sciences Building, Room 338, MC-644 1304 W. Pennsylvania Avenue Urbana, IL 61801
Phone: 217- 333-3570 Fax: 217- 244-0323 E-Mail: kcting@illinois.edu
URL: http://abe.illinois.edu/
Dr Rameshwar Kanwar, Chair Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering 104 Davidson Hall Iowa State University Ames, IA 50011

Phone: 515-294-1434 Fax: 515-294-6633 E-Mail: rskanwar@astate.edu

URL: http://www.abe.iastate.edu/

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Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Brief Description of the Practice/Program

Contact Information to Obtain More Details

As an alternative to the previous recommendation, efforts should be made to redesign existing courses to incorporate emerging topics in agribusiness such as the legal, ethic, and political environment of agribusiness, sustainable agriculture, and technology and production systems management.
These can be structured as interdisciplinary special topics or problems` courses within existing majors/minors that integrate agribusiness issues and problems within and without the colleges of agriculture to develop solutions that have widespread applicability across disciplines.

The plant pathology and microbiology program at Texas A & M University is designed for students with an interest in solving complex environmental problems. The program offers crosslisted courses in GIS applications in resource management, landscape restoration, and the environmental aspects of engineered works and products.60
The University of California-Berkeley`s program includes courses in the economics of race, agriculture, and the environment, and special topics in environmental science, policy, and management as part of its Society and the Environment major.

Mr. Sam Murdock, Academic Advisor Dep`t of Plant Pathology & Microbiology 120 Peterson Building, 2132 TAMU Texas A & M University College Station, TX 77843-2132
Phone: 979-845-7311 Fax: 979-845-6483
Direct line: 979-845-2388 E-Mail: semurdock@tamu.edu
URL: http://plantpathology.tamu.edu/
Dr. Jeffrey Romm, Professor Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management College of Natural Resources University of California 137 Mulford Hall #3114 Berkeley, CA 94720-3114
Phone: 510- 643-7430 Fax: 510-643-2504

Florida A & M University offers a course that integrates concepts from economics, the environment, and social science in the design of water management systems (ABE 4232).61

Direct Line: 510-642-6499 E-Mail: jeffromm@nature.berkeley.edu URL: http://cnr.berkeley.edu/site/about_us.php
Ms. Crystal Spruill Carter, Research Associate, & Program Coordinator Biological & Agricultural Systems Engineering Florida A & M University Perry-Paige Building, Room 307 North Tallahassee, Florida 32307

Phone; 850-561-2198

Direct line:850-561-2977 E-Mail: crystal.carter@famu.edu

Introduce into degree

programs the option for self-

designed,

interdisciplinary

studies majors/minors that

allow students the ability to

incorporate

experimental

learning options in courses

taught by faculty across the

university and external to the

university (through distance

learning technology options).

Although self-directed and tailored to the interest of the individual student, the degree program is structured to meet the academic rigor of the individual college and must be approved by a review committee of faculty advisors. It is limited to academically strong students with career goals that are clearly-articulated prior to registration for the program. As such, it is not equivalent to a general studies major.

URL: http://www.famu.edu/ Dr. Wayne Howard, Chair Agribusiness Department College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
Phone: 805-756-2161 Fax: 805-756-504021
Direct line: 805-756-5000 E-Mail: whhoward@calpoly.edu URL: http://agribusiness.calpoly.edu

60 More details are available at http://plantpathology.tamu.edu/besc/besc_main.html Accessed 09/10/08. 61 More details are available at http://www.famu.edu/index.cfm?a=cesta&p=BiologicalandAgriculturalSystemsEngineering#C
Accessed 09/08/08.

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Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Brief Description of the Practice/Program

Contact Information to Obtain More Details

The University of Vermont site contains much information on procedures and requirements for selfdesigned majors.

Dr. Josie Davis, Associate Dean for Academic Programs College of Agriculture and Life Sciences 106 Morrill Hall The University of Vermont Burlington, VT 05405

Phone: 802-656-0137 Fax: 802- 656-0290

Direct line; 802-656-1032 E-Mail: Josie.Davis@uvm.edu

URL: http://www.uvm.edu/cals/?Page=closerlo ok/selfdesmajor.html

Although not a self-designed major, Auburn`s agricultural business and economics program allows students to select professional electives` from upper division courses offered in the College s of Agriculture, Business, Mathematics and Sciences or the School of Forestry and Wildlife, as well as the departments of Sociology, Anthropology, Geography, Political Science, or Statistics.

Dr. William Hardy, Jr., Professor Department of Agricultural Economics. & Rural Sociology 012 Comer Hall Auburn University , AL 36849-5406
Phone: 334-844-4800 Fax: 334-844-5639
Phone: 334- 844-5620 E-Mail: hardywe@auburn.edu URL: http://www.ag.auburn.edu/agec/undergra duate/

E. Establish a USG Workforce Development Strategy
The recommendations from agribusiness employers pointed to the need for the University System to develop a comprehensive workforce policy. The goals of such a program should be linked to the goals of the Commission for a New Georgia on workforce development and focused on developing the student from matriculation through job placement and career growth.
The recommendations offered by the Task Force regarding Georgia`s workforce development system are no less appropriate for the University System`s efforts to be responsive, since change is inevitable and occurring at an ever increasing rate. Therefore, the processes need to be dynamic and resilient in order to continually meet the needs of the marketplace ... [and] must take into account regional aspects of the overall solution.62 In addition to being responsive, the workforce development strategy must also anticipate changes that may require changes in the labor demand. Given that increases in the supply of graduates is a long-term process of at least three years (based on current graduation rates following the completion of core requirements), the expansion or addition of programs must be forward thinking, looking toward changes at the national level in consumer demand for alternative energy and bioenergy, green` technology, and agrotourism.
Existing initiatives within the University System clearly demonstrate the ability to be forward thinkers. The projected shortage of college-educated workers to meet the agribusiness labor market demand will require swift and immediate action. The administrative infrastructure, including BOR policies, already exists to support external degrees and cross institutional collaborative programs like GTREP and RETP. Thus, expanding such efforts to include collaboration on agribusiness-related curricula should not prove

62 Work Force Development Task Force Final Report , October 2004, p. 8

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to be difficult. Institutions within the University System have already implemented many best practices for addressing the workforce development needs. As such, recommendations for this section will focus primarily on modifying and expanding existing University System initiatives and programs that could address the needs of the agribusiness industry.
Managers expressed the need for employees with degrees plus skills communication, business, integration of technical knowledge and business skills and professional soft skills. Similar results were found by the National Food and Agribusiness Management Education Commission (NFAMEC).63 On the other hand, the majority of survey respondents were less concerned about degree/major fields than they were about the types of training/skills received. Thus, courses across the curriculum that can incorporate agribusiness principles and issues into their curricula would serve to both increase the number of students who could be employed in the agribusiness sector as well as broadening their appeal to agribusiness companies. A few University System institutions currently offer stand-alone interdisciplinary studies degrees as well as majors in interdisciplinary studies. The University of Georgia also offers a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree with an honors interdisciplinary studies major.64 Thus, making modifications to that program65 and extending its availability, as an external degree,66 can be one step in increasing the number of graduates with training in agribusiness. As an example of a similar best practice outside the University System, the Penn State University offers intercollege undergraduate programs that it describes as in addition to conventional baccalaureate degree programs that draw on the resources of the faculty and courses from several colleges.67 The proposal offered herein would extend the concept of intercollege` programs to cross both discipline and institutional lines through distance learning. The existing external bachelor of science in agriculture degree offered by the University of Georgia, the WebBSIT degree,68 the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College/Georgia Southwestern State University collaborative bachelor`s degrees,69 and the recent approval of external degree requests from Georgia Institute of Technology (with the Politecnico di Torino in Italy) and Georgia Southern University (with Savannah State University)70 support the feasibility of expanding such programs in agribusiness.71
Measuring the success of the workforce development program will require the establishment of a graduate tracking program. While the practice of tracking graduates through student placement surveys that depend on self-reported data is fairly widespread, the flaws of such a process limit the usefulness of the data.72 Undoubtedly, much is said about the need for a college degree but there are no consistent measures of accountability for the dollars spent on producing those degrees. For instance, does a degree earned in viticulture produce the same or better return to the State than one in animal husbandry? Or home economics? What economic contributions are persons with degrees making to the State? Research indicates that, on average, a person with a college degree earns more than persons holding a GED. Statistics on starting salaries by occupation and discipline are well documented. Those are important and
63 A summary of Undergraduate Curricula in Agribusiness Management Degrees National Food and Agribusiness Management Education Commission Working Paper # 1. National Food and Agribusiness Management Education Commission , Michael Boland and Jay Akridge, co-chairs. Purdue University Center for Food and Agricultural Business The report also cites 16 studies with similar findings. P. 5
64 A listing of degrees and majors was obtained from the searchable data base maintained by the University System of Georgia at https://app.usg.edu. Accessed on September 10, 2008.
65 Administered through the University Honors Program, the major is open only to Honors students enrolled in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Twelve hours of senior division courses must be in one subject (primary).
66 Extended education options are covered under Academic Policy Statement #17, Academic Affairs handbook, BOR. 67 Information obtained from the University Bulletin, accessed at http://bulletin.psu.edu/bulletins on September 4, 2008 68 For further information, see www.webbsit.org. Accessed on-line on September 9, 2008. 69 For further information, see www.abac.edu/GSW. Accessed on-line on September 9, 2008. 70 BOR Board Actions, March 19, 2008, Committee on Academic Affairs, items 12-14. Accessed online at
www.usg.edu/regents/acton/mar08.phtml on September10, 2008. 71 University System of Georgia institutions currently offer over 100 programs for which at least 50 % of a degree is available via
distance learning technologies [online, video conferencing (GSAMS), video cassette, telecourse, and satellite]. For more
information see http://www.usg.edu/academics/programs/distance_ed/.
72 The flaws of the self-reporting system include the fact that participation rates are often low and salaries may be incorrectly reported due to data entry errors, exaggeration, or a need for secrecy. As an example, a recent graduate holding a bachelor`s degree in agricultural communications reported a starting salary of $250,000. Data reported by NACE ( National Association of Colleges and Employers) in its annual Salary Survey frequently have fewer than five observations by discipline.

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useful bits of information. However, for workforce development/investment purposes, information is needed on the relation between program/degree offerings and labor market outcomes in terms of impact on the State`s economy.
Currently, there is no existing process for collecting system-wide data on retention of Georgia college graduates within the State, starting salaries, placement within degree field, and similar measures that would indicate the level of success of the State`s higher education system. With no system in place to determine the migration of Georgia-educated college graduates, there is as yet no basis on which to calculate the costs and benefits to the State of higher education. A placement tracking system would provide the tools by which to calculate those costs and returns and to measure the value of a college graduate to the State. Thus, a key component of the workforce plan must be the establishment of a formal system for tracking graduates from the classroom to the workforce and for follow-up surveying of employers to be better informed of changes in the industry that may require program changes. An effective tracking system would require coordination at the State level, between the University System, and state agencies. Such a system is in place in Florida where an extensive system has been implemented through the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program that provides a one-stop shop for K-20 data.73 A program with similar goals but a different methodology is in place in Minnesota. Administered by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, the program involves the development of a statewide accountability system to measure the higher education sector's effectiveness in meeting stated goals.74
Requests from employers for a coordinated internship program highlighted the difficulties that many employers faced in administering their own programs. Recognizing the benefits to both employers and students of participation in hands-on learning programs, it is recommended that, as a start, the BOR develops a directory of agribusiness/businesses across the State who are interested in hosting college interns. This should be maintained and updated at the System level so that businesses are not contacted about positions that are already filled. A basic, coordinated internship program could be structured similar to the one existing within the University of Wisconsin system which coordinates positions with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and is available to all students enrolled in any Wisconsin state university.75
The lack of collaboration between industry and the academic institutions in recruiting and placing collegeeducated applicants through university placement offices and the surprisingly low levels of usage of GeorgiaHIRE suggest that efforts should be made to improve the link between employers and placement services. The survey results implied that employers were open to exploring closer contacts with universities in their search for qualified applicants who are college-educated. Given that employers were optimistic that access to a university-managed resume bank and established internship programs would be somewhat or very important to the growth of their companies, it is recommended that such programs be implemented to include the establishment of agricultural-degree specific university career centers that would serve only those students majoring in agricultural-related degree programs. Although not offered at the System level, the University of South Florida at St. Petersburg offers a comprehensive career services program that is designed to meet the needs of both students and employers. Among other things, the site maintains a searchable data base of graduation data by college, department, and major and an alphabetical listing of majors offered.76 A similar program could serve to replace or supplement the services provided by GeorgiaHire, a program that, based on the survey results, has had little impact on the agribusiness industry. However, the success of such a program will be critically dependent on publicity to agribusiness employers.
Implementation of many of the earlier recommendations will require an increase in the levels of agricultural literacy among faculty members outside colleges of agriculture. The University System has demonstrated the ability to infuse technology, global issues, and multiculturalism into the curriculum. The
73 Further information is available at http://www.fldoe.org/fetpip/default.asp. Accessed September 22, 2008. 74 Minnesota Measures: 2008 Report on Higher Education Performance (.pdf, 72 pgs) .Downloadable from
http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/mPg.cfm?pageID=1733. Accessed September 22, 2008. 75 More information is available at www.dot.state.wi.us/about/docs/intern-uw.pdf. 76 For more information see the Center`s website at http://www.stpt.usf.edu/career/. Accessed on September 22, 2008.

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same approaches used for those initiatives could be extended to the infusion of agribusiness issues into the curriculum. The practice has been successfully implemented in K-12 education through the federally funded Agriculture in the Classroom initiative.77 Extending agriculture into the college classroom could be accomplished through faculty development programs that include collaboration with industry in a field outside one`s academic discipline/academic exchanges, faculty internships/externships/fellowships, or the development of interdisciplinary seminar series for USG faculty. The System currently has in place the infrastructure to provide Learning Opportunities through the USG Faculty Development Monthly Series78 so expansion to include agribusiness-related training should not prove to be problematic.
The Big 12 institutions79 offer to their faculty members the opportunity to participate in a Faculty Fellowship Program whereby they can travel to member institutions for exchanging ideas, mentoring, across institutions, and stimulating scholarship.80 California State University- Chico`s college of business
offers a faculty exchange program that allows faculty members "to solve practical business problems,
conduct important research, and develop mutually-beneficial relationships with industry partners. 81

Summary of Recommendations and Contact Information:

Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Brief Description of the Practice/Program

Contact Information to Obtain More Details

Modify the University of Georgia`s Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an honors interdisciplinary studies major and extend its availability as an external degree.

The intercollege minor at Penn State is available to all regularly enrolled undergraduates with the objective of allowing students the opportunity to gain multiple perspectives on issues and to increase collaborative and problem-solving skills. The program engages students actively in learning experiences outside their major course of study. This minor is intended not to replace existing minors but to be a true intercollege, interdisciplinary minor.82

Dr. Amy K. Glasmeier , Professor Department of Geography College of Earth and Mineral Sciences 312 Walker Building The Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802
Phone: 814- 865-3433 Fax: 814-863-7943
Direct Line: 814-865-7323 E-Mail: akg1@psu.edu
URL: http://www.envi.psu.edu/

Develop a system to track USG graduates as they enter the workforce.

The Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program is a data collection and consumer reporting system established by Florida Statutes to provide follow-up data on former students and others. The information collected include civilian and federal employment and earnings, continuing education experiences, military service and other measures that address accountability issues.83

Ms. Trina Condo, Director, Florida Education & Training Placement Information Program (FETPIP) 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 1454 Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
Phone: 850- 245-0505 Fax: 850- 245-9667
Direct Line: 850- 245-0428; E-Mail: Trina.Condo@fldoe.org
URL: http://www.fldoe.org/fetpip/

77 See http://www.agclassroom.org/ for more information. 78 Additional information can be obtained by contacting Linda Noble Office of Faculty Affairs, USG. Phone: 404-656-0763 or 404-
656-0764; E-Mail: Linda.noble@usg.edu 79 The 12 institutions are: Baylor University, University of Colorado, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, University of
Kansas, University of Missouri, University of Nebraska, Oklahoma State University, University of Oklahoma, Texas A & M University, Texas Tech University, University of Texas at Austin. 80 Information about the program is available at http://www.k-state.edu/provost/academic/big12/big12guide.htm or http://provost.missouri.edu/faculty/faculty_development/big12.html. 81 Accessed online at http://www.csuchico.edu/cob/busCommunity/fellowship.shtml on September 11, 2008. 82 Downloaded from http://bulletins.psu.edu/bulletins/bluebook/college_campus_details.cfm?id=31&program=env_i.htm on October 6, 2008. 83 Downloaded from http://www.fldoe.org/fetpip/ October 6, 2008.

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Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Brief Description of the Practice/Program

Contact Information to Obtain More Details

The Minnesota program consists of a system of accountability designed to measure progress toward academic and workforce goals.

The contact information for the Minnesota Measures program is: Ms. Susan Heegaard, Director Minnesota Office of Higher Education 1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 350 St. Paul, MN 55108-5227

Phone: (651) 642-0567; Fax: (651) 642-0675

Direct Line: 651-259-3900 E-Mail: susan.heegaard@state.mn.us

URL: http://www.ohe.state.mn.us/

Develop a state-wide internship program.

With the Wisconsin Department of transportation, the University of Wisconsin Internship Program is offered to undergraduate (only Junior and Senior status), graduate, and post-graduate students enrolled in a state-system UW school through an Interagency Agreement, where the University hires the student, and then assigns the student to work in one of the Department of Transportation Offices.84

Questions regarding the Internship Program may be directed to:
Jay Neider: 608-267-7943; jay.neider@dot.state.wi.us
OR
Rita Williams at 608-267-9390; rita.williams@dot.state.wi.us
Wisconsin Department of Transportation Bureau of Human Resource Services 4802 Sheboygan Ave., Room 651 Madison, WI 53702

Questions about the application process should be directed to:

Ms. Susan R. Anderson Wisconsin Department of Transportation Bureau of Human Resource Services 4802 Sheboygan Ave., Room 410 PO Box 7915 Madison, WI 53707-7915

Phone: 608-266-2615
Direct Line: 608- 266-7321 E-Mail: susan.anderson@dot.state.wi.us

Create career services centers with enhanced employer-focused missions.

In addition to having access to students` rsums, The Career Center at USF provides employers with current data on enrollments, degrees offered by college and major, institutional guidelines on internships and employment policies, and links to academic course catalogs.

Mr. Terry Dowling, M.A., Career Counselor The Career Center - Terrace 200 University of South Florida- St. Petersburg 140 7th Avenue South, TER 200 St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5016
Phone: 727-873-4129 Fax: 727-873-4828
E-Mail; tdowling@spadmin.usf.edu

URL: http://www.career.usf.edu/

84 Downloaded from http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/about/docs/intern-uw.pdf October 6, 2008.

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Recommended Practice to be Adopted

Brief Description of the Practice/Program

Contact Information to Obtain More Details

The Ohio State University`s center caters exclusively to students in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Students can voluntarily upload their rsums to a searchable web site. The Center also serves as the liaison between faculty and the business community to expand faculty professional development opportunities such as consulting or temporary employment.

Ms. Pat Whittington Career Services Center College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences The Ohio State University 100 Agricultural Administration Building Columbus, Ohio 43210
Phone: 614-292-1589 Fax: 614-292-1218
Direct Line: 614-247-6236 E-Mail: pwhittington@osu.edu

URL: http://www.ag.ohiostate.edu/~cfaes/career/

Negotiate cross institutional

agreements for collaboration

that allow faculty members

to enhance their levels of

agricultural literacy and

develop cross discipline

solutions to agricultural

problems. Arrangements can

also

involve

faculty

exchanges/externships with

the business community.

The faculty fellowship program among Big 12 institutions offers the faculty the opportunity for crosscampus faculty exchanges to expand research opportunities and develop new ideas.

Dr. M. Duane Nellis, Provost and CAO 106 Anderson Hall Kansas State University Manhattan, KS 66506
Phone; 785- 532-6224 Fax; 785- 532-6507
E-Mail: dnellis@ksu.edu
URL: http://www.kstate.edu/provost/academic/

OR

Dr. Kenneth D. Dean, Deputy Provost 116 Jesse Hall University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: 573-882-6597 Fax: 573-882-0080

E-Mail: DeanK@missouri.edu URL: http://provost.missouri.edu/

The program at California State University, Chico is geared toward expanding partnerships between faculty and the business community.

Dr. Willie Hopkins, Dean College of Business California State University, Chico Tehama Hall 301 Chico, CA 95929-0001

Phone: 530-898-6271 Fax: 530-898-4584

Direct Line: 5308986272 E-Mail: wehopkins@csuchico.edu

URL:http://www.csuchico.edu/cob/busComm unity

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A Note about Funding
The recommendations proposed above were selected in light of the State`s critical budget constraints and the ensuing limitations imposed on the System institutions. As such, many of the recommendations could be implemented through curricula changes that would require little to no funding beyond the internal grant processes. However, in those cases where additional funds may be necessary to make significant changes or to have a wider impact, two sources of funding would be of particular interest. First, Higher Education Challenge Grants are available thought the U.S. Department of Agriculture to improve academic instruction in food and agricultural sciences for efforts that include enhancing curricula and increasing faculty teaching competencies.85
The second source of external funding is available through the National Science Foundation`s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program and the Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Programs (I/UCRC). The funding cycle for both programs is generally in late summer/early fall.86
Summary
As a strategic industry, it will take more than just the agribusiness graduates to enhance and expand Georgia`s agribusiness industry and in sustaining the State`s economic growth. Graduates from diverse degree programs should understand the relationships that exist between their majors and Georgia`s strategic industries and be able to contribute to the identification of solutions for long term sustainability of the State`s economy. The introduction of agricultural concepts, issues, and themes in traditional courses in business, biology, architecture, engineering, parks and recreation, family and consumer science, political science, and law could be undertaken to improve agricultural literacy among college graduates. Integrating agribusiness, environment, resource conservation, sustainability, green initiatives into existing curricula could be an effective means of accomplishing that goal. For instance knowledge of horticulture or soils or plants could be used in interior design to understand landscaping best practices, plant choice for optimum landscaping effects. Similarly information technology and engineering applications can be extended to the agricultural industry. To respond to the needs expressed by agribusinesses and the findings of the agribusiness survey, several recommendations are submitted for consideration that address key components such as sustainability, expanding the business side of agribusiness programs, increasing the interdisciplinary components of degree programs, an integrative capstone course, and preparation of graduates for the work environment. Further, collaborative degrees would allow institutions that lack the agribusiness-related resources to utilize resources already available within the University System and to benefit from the expertise of current faculty members at other institutions who hold the requisite academic qualifications and experience. Existing degree programs can serve as a starting point for developing a new course or for modifying an existing course to incorporate issues of sustainability and the management of agricultural businesses.
The recommendations can best be summed in the words of from one-on-one interviewees:
"Job candidates (and hires) usually overly focused on technical skills not business side of the industry. Need to focus on how to make money technical skills in the context of business management. New candidates need more education directed at preparing them for the business world. Current curriculums do a great job of teaching them the technical aspects of their discipline. Major gaps in candidate's skills insufficient writing skills, poor communications skills, inability to read and understand financials, P&L's, cash flow statements, etc. General lack of leadership skills. Need more emphasis on leadership skills, critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills. Expectations of new candidates are usually too high need real world expectations. Graduates need to understand that they will be "test driven", moved often key retention issues and a major factor in new hire turnover.
85 Additional information is available at http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/hep_challenge.html or from www.grants.gov. 86 Information about both programs can be accessed at www.nsf.gov/funding. Accessed on September 4, 2008.

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Company X (name of business entity omitted) considers itself too small for its own intern program. Has tried it and didn't meet expectations not enough interns returned for permanent positions. Historically, interns may go elsewhere and return to Company X (name of business entity omitted) later. Looks for a balance of academics and leadership skills, such as roles in academic organizations. Work experience (anywhere) that gives evidence of experience in a work environment. Suggestions: To build leadership consider internships maybe coop arrangements with industry. Work to build better relationships with industry. Blend this collaborative model into classes if possible. Teach students to function as a team in school model this on some of the good executive MBA programs. Add emphasis to the financial/business aspects of technical classes. Teach students to take (and give) feedback. Emphasis on communications throughout program of study not just a freshman speech class, but continuation through their college career. Bring business and industry people in to coach classes, bridge the gap between academics and the real world, preferably by building partnerships with industry. Programs for simultaneous work and course work to bring academics and work together, but also to teach students to manage multiple priorities."
As supported by the findings of this research, there is a need within the agribusiness industry to enhance public/private partnerships and to establish a comprehensive workforce development program to increase the System`s ability to respond to the needs of agribusiness employers. Employers need workers with strong technical skills that are complemented by an appropriate level of professional skills. An effective workforce development program in agribusiness must focus on preparing graduates for successful transition into the workforce and their careers. Agribusinesses have called for stronger public/private partnerships that
"allow students to see how classroom concepts play out in the real world, could use tours and lectures from guest speakers as part of classroom instruction. Any kind of hands-on industry knowledge would be useful as students move from college to employment. Added emphasis in writing, speaking, problem solving skills, working with the public with tact. Classroom instruction needs to keep pace with current technology used in the field most processing plants are now highly mechanized and computer controlled. Students going into inspection positions need experience with modern plant operating systems."87
The success of the System`s workforce development efforts will depend, in large, part, on its ability to respond to these recommendations. To borrow further from the Workforce Development Taskforce, workforce development, at any level, including higher education must ensure that Georgia can grow and deliver an effective workforce ... [t]hrough its processes integrated end-to-end across the state with key customers, agencies, partners and suppliers. 88 Strategic efforts must be undertaken to address the major survey finding that the projected demand for college-educated workers with the requisite soft skills will exceed the projected supply generated by the University System.

87 Comments made by one of the individuals who participated in a one-on-one interview. 88 Work Force Development Task Force Final Report , October 2004, p. 19 A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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References

Acciola, Carmelita A. A Survey and Analysis of the Perceptions of Training Needs of Businesses and Industries in Gloucester County, New Jersey. A Report Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Arts Degree in The Graduate School of Rowan University in Community College Education, May 1998.
Boatright, Susan R. and John C. McKissick, 2007. Georgia Farm Gate Vegetable Report Compiled from information reported by Georgia Cooperative Extension County Agents. Center Report AR-08-02, Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, University of Georgia, ,April, 2008.
Board of Governors for Higher Education, Department of Higher Education, State of Connecticut, 2003, September. Employer Satisfaction with 2003 Public Higher Education Graduates in Connecticut. Report on Pilot Study. Hartford, CT, September 2005.
Commission for a New Georgia Work Force Development Task Force Final Report, Atlanta, GA, October, 2004. Ann Cramer, Chair.
Commission for a New Georgia Strategic Industries Task Force Final Report, August 2004, Atlanta GA. David C. Garrett III, Chairman
FAEIS, Food and Agricultural Education Information System, interactive data base. College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA. Downloaded summer 2008.
Flanders, Archie, Sharon Kane, and John McKissick, 2008. Economic Importance of Food and Fiber in the Georgia Economy. Center Report: CR-08-07, Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, University of Georgia, May 2008.
Georgia Department of Labor, Michael I. Thurmond, Commissioner, 2007. Georgia Skills-based Employment Projections. Supply and Demand for Knowledge, Skills, and Generalized Work Activities over the Short-term from 20006-2008 & the Long-term from 2004-2014. Atlanta, GA 2007.
Georgia Department of Labor, Michael I. Thurmond, Commissioner. Georgia Workforce Trends. An Analysis of Long-term Employment Projections to 2014. Atlanta GA.
Lowry, Diannal, Simon Molloy, and Samuel McGlennon, 2008. Future skill needs: Projections and employers` views. National Institute of Labour Studies, Flinders University, NCVER, 2008.
Miller, C., & Oldham, C. (2006). Issue paper: Setting the context. A National Dialogue: The Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education. Retrieved April 27, 2006, from http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/hiedfuture/reports/miller-oldham.pdf
The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, Measuring Up 2006, the National Report Card on Higher Education, Georgia State Report Card. Downloaded summer 2008.
The North Carolina Commission on Workforce Development, 2007. State of the North Carolina Workforce: An Assessment of the State`s Labor Force Demand and Supply 2007 2017. North Carolina, January 2007.

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 86

Pennings, Joost M. E., Scott H. Irwin, and Darrell Good, 1999, October. Report 1999-04: Surveying Farmers: A Research Note. University of Illinois Farmco.
Spellings Commission, 2006. A test of Leadership. Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education. A Report of the Commission Appointed by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, September 2006., Washington, D.C. Charles Miller, Chairman. Accessed on 4/13/2008 at http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/hiedfuture/reports/final-report.pdf.
Texas Workforce Commission, 2002, September. The Texas Economy: An Age of Global Economic Opportunity. A Descriptive Analysis of an Emerging Global Economy and Its Impact on the U.S. and Texas Economies. Austin, Texas, September 2002.
USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Services in cooperation with Purdue University, authored by Goecker, Allan D.; Gilmore, Jeffrey L.; Smith, Ella; and Smith, P. Gregory. Employment Opportunities for College graduates in the U.S. Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resources System: 2005- 2010. Blacksburg, VA. 2005.
U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Interactive database on employment and occupational projections, downloaded summer 2008 from http://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm.

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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Appendices

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 88

Appendix A:

Comparison of NAICS Codes to Define the Agribusiness Industry for this Study and Those Included in the Commission for a new Georgia's (CNGA) Report89

Commission for a New Georgia
Definition - 4 digit NAICS

Industry Sector

1111 1112
1113 1114
1119 1121
1122 1123 1124 1125 1129 1131 1132
1133 1141 1142 1151
1152
1153
3111 3112 3113
3114
3115
3116
3117

Oilseed and Grain Farming
Vegetable and Melon Farming Fruit and Tree Nut Farming
Greenhouse, Nursery, and Floriculture Production
Other Crop Farming
Cattle Ranching and Farming Hog and Pig Farming
Poultry and Egg Production
Sheep and Goat Farming
Animal Aquaculture
Other Animal Production
Timber Tract Operations
Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products
Logging
Fishing
Hunting and Trapping
Support Activities for Crop Production Support Activities for Animal Production Support Activities for Forestry Animal Food Manufacturing
Grain and Oilseed Milling
Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing
Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacture Dairy Product Manufacturing Animal Slaughtering and Processing Seafood Production Preparation and Packaging

Notes on Commission
for New Georgia (CNGA)
Definitions

Notes on Model
Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA

Rationale for the
Differences

89 NAICS codes taken from Appendix B-2 of the Commission for a new Georgia`s Report.

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Commission for a New Georgia
Definition - 4 digit NAICS
3118 3119 3121 3122 313 Not Included
316 Not Included
3211 3212
3219
3221 3222
3253
3331

Industry Sector
Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing Other Food Manufacturing Beverage Manufacturing Tobacco Manufacturing Textile Mills
Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing
Sawmills and Wood Preservation Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing Other Wood Product Manufacturing
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills Converted Paper Product Manufacturing
Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing

Notes on Commission
for New Georgia (CNGA)
Definitions
Does not include any elements of the textile sector
Does not include any elements of the Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing sector
Includes all 3219 sub categories (32191, 32192, 32199)
Includes all subsectors within 3222

Notes on Model
Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA Consistent with CNGA Adds 3 categories within Textile Mills 3131, 31321, 31322
Adds 2 categories within leather goods manufacturing 3161, 3169
Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA
Includes all subcategories within 32191 and 32192 but includes only 321999 i.e. does not include 321991 and 321992
Consistent with CNGA Includes all 32221. Includes only some of 32222 (excludes 322225), all of 32223 and 32229 Consistent with CNGA
Consistent with CNGA

Rationale for the
Differences
Economic significance of the sector to agribusiness See Chapter 2 Economic significance of the sector to agribusiness See Chapter 2
Manufactured homes and wood product manufacturing are too far removed in the line of processing to be considered agribusiness
Production of laminated aluminum foil not agribusinessrelated

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Commission for a New Georgia
Definition - 4 digit NAICS
3332 Not Included

Industry Sector
Industrial Machinery Manufacturing

424 Not Included

Wholesale trade - nondurable goods

445, 447, 452, Not Included

Retail trade - Food and beverage stores

484 and 493 Transportation and Not Included Warehousing

Notes on Commission
for New Georgia (CNGA)
Definitions
Does not include any elements of the industrial machinery manufacturing sector Does not include any elements of the wholesale trade
Does not include any elements of the retail trade
Does not include any elements of the transportation and warehousing sectors

Notes on Model
Includes 333294 Food Product Machinery Manufacturing
Includes 4244, 4245, 4248, 42491, 42493, 42494 included using a formula to compute approximate values from IMPLAN included using a formula to compute approximate values from IMPLAN (based on current economic modeling assumptions) included using a formula to compute approximate values from IMPLAN based on current economic modeling assumptions)

Rationale for the
Differences
Significant to agribusiness production
Economic significance of the sector to agribusiness See Chapter 2
Economic significance of the sector to agribusiness See Chapter 2

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Appendix B: Summary of NAICS Codes Included in the Study

SUMMARY TABLE

Aggregated NAICS Grouping

Description

Oilseed Farming thru All Other Crop Farming
Cattle Ranching & Farming thru Animal Production, Except Poultry & Egg Logging thru Forest Nurseries, Forest Products, & Timber
Fishing thru Agricultural & Forestry Support Services
Dog & Cat Food Manufacturing thru Narrow Fabric Mills & Schiffli Embroidery; Leather & Hide Tanning; Other Leather Product Manufacturing
Sawmills thru Wood Container & Pallet Manufacturing; Miscellaneous Wood Product Manufacturing thru Paperboard Container Manufacturing; Surface-Coated Paperboard Manufacturing thru Coated & Uncoated Paper Bag Manufacturing Nitrogenous Fertilizer Manufacturing thru Pesticide & Other Ag. Chemical Manufacturing; Farm Machinery & Equipment Manufacturing; Lawn & Garden Equipment Manufacturing; Food Product Machinery Manufacturing Wholesale Trade; Warehousing and Storage;; Food and Beverage Stores; Gasoline Stations; General Merchandise Stores
Landscaping Services PLUS: Agricultural Finance, Risk Minimization; Agricultural Consulting and Trade Organizations/Associations Government and Education Related to Agricultural Production

111 (1111, 1112, 1113, 1114, 1119) 112 (1121, 1122, 1123, 1124, 1125,1129)
113 (1131, 1132, 1133)
114 and 115 (1141, 1142, 1151,1152, 1153) 311, 312, 3131, 31321, 31322, 3161, 3169 (3111, 3112, 3113, 3114, 3115, 3116, 3117, 3118, 3119, 3121, 3122, 3131, 31321, 31322, 3161, 3169) 3211, 3212, 32191, 32192, 321999, 3221, 32221,32222 EXCl.322225 (32111, 32121, 32191, 32192, 321999, 32211, 32212, 32213, 32221, 322221, 322222, 322223, 322224, 322226) 3253, 33311, 333294 (325311, 325312, 325314, 32532, 333111, 333112, 333294)
4244, 4245, 4248, 42491, 42493, 42494, 4442, 445, 447, 452, 484, 49313 (42441 - 42449, 42451, 42452, 42459, 42481, 42482, 42491, 42493, 42494, 4451, 4452, 4453, 4471, 4521, 4529, 49313) (IMPUTED VALUES from IMPLAN) 56173, 522000, 52412, 541613, 541614, 54162, 54169, 54171, 54194, 71219, 81391, 81392, 92411, 92412, 92512, 92611, 92614,

Crop Production Animal Production
Forestry and Logging Operations Other Farming and Farm Support Activities Food, Beverage, Tobacco, Textile, and Leather Manufacturing
Wood and Paper Product Manufacturing
Agricultural Chemical and Machinery Manufacturing
Food Warehousing, Wholesaling, and Retailing Operations
Agricultural Support Services and Related Activities

Bold = select all NAICS codes in that category

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Appendix C:

Crosswalk: Workforce Investment Area (WIA) to Aggregated Regions/Service Delivery Regions (SDR)

County
Region 1 Catoosa County Chattooga County Dade County Fannin County Floyd County Gilmer County Gordon County Haralson County Murray County Paulding County Pickens County Polk County Walker County Whitfield County Region 2 Banks County Dawson County Forsyth County Franklin County Habersham County Hall County Hart County Lumpkin County Rabun County Stephens County Towns County Union County White County Region 3 Fulton County Cobb County DeKalb County Cherokee County Clayton County Douglas County Fayette County Gwinnett County Henry County Rockdale County

Aggregated Regions/ SDR

WIA

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

3

3

4

3

5

3

7

3

7

3

7

3

7

3

7

3

7

3

7

County
Region 4 Butts County Carroll County Coweta County Heard County Lamar County Meriwether County Pike County Spalding County Troup County Upson County Region 5 Barrow County Clarke County Elbert County Greene County Jackson County Jasper County Madison County Morgan County Newton County Oconee County Oglethorpe County Walton County Region 6 Bibb County Baldwin County Crawford County Houston County Jones County Monroe County Peach County Pulaski County Putnam County Twiggs County Wilkinson County Region 7 Burke County Richmond County Columbia County Glascock County Hancock County

Aggregated Regions/ SDR
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
7 7 7 7 7

WIA
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
10 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11
12 12 13 13 13

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County
Region 7 Continued
Jefferson County
Jenkins County
Lincoln County
McDuffie County
Screven County
Taliaferro County
Warren County Washington County Wilkes County Region 8 Chattahoochee County Clay County Harris County Muscogee County Quitman County Randolph County Stewart County Talbot County Crisp County Dooly County Macon County Marion County Schley County Sumter County Taylor County Webster County Region 9 Appling County Bleckley County Candler County Dodge County Emanuel County Evans County Jeff Davis County Johnson County Laurens County Montgomery County Tattnall County Telfair County Toombs County Treutlen County Wayne County Wheeler County Wilcox County

Aggregated Regions/ SDR
7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9

WIA
13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13
14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16

County
Region 10
Dougherty County
Early County
Grady County
Lee County
Miller County
Mitchell County
Seminole County Terrell County Thomas County Worth County Region 11 Atkinson County Bacon County Brantley County Charlton County Clinch County Coffee County Pierce County Ware County Ben Hill County Berrien County Brooks County Cook County Echols County Irwin County Lanier County Lowndes County Tift County Turner County Region 12 Bryan County Bulloch County Camden County Chatham County Effingham County Glynn County Liberty County Long County McIntosh County

Aggregated Regions/ SDR

WIA

10

17

10

17

10

17

10

17

10

17

10

17

10

17

10

17

10

17

10

17

11

18

11

18

11

18

11

18

11

18

11

18

11

18

11

18

11

19

11

19

11

19

11

19

11

19

11

19

11

19

11

19

11

19

11

19

12

20

12

20

12

20

12

20

12

20

12

20

12

20

12

20

12

20

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Map: Service Delivery Regions Regional Georgia Map

Downloaded from http://www.georgia.gov/00/channel_title/0,2094,4802_4977,00.html

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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Appendix D: List of Relevant CIP Codes Core and Allied Programs

CIP Code

Description

01.0000 Agriculture, General

01.0101 01.0102 01.0103
01.0104 01.0105

Agricultural Business and Management, General Agriculture, General Agricultural Business and Management, General
Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations Agricultural Economics

01.0106 Farm/Farm and Ranch Management

01.0199 01.0201 01.0204 01.0205

Agricultural/Farm Supplies Retailing and Wholesaling Agricultural Business Technology
Agricultural Business and Management, Other Agricultural Mechanization, General

01.0299
01.0301
01.0302 01.0303
01.0304
01.0306 01.0307 01.0399 01.0401
01.0505 01.0507
01.0508 01.0599 01.0601

Agricultural Power Machinery Operation
Agricultural Mechanics and Equipment/Machine Technology
Agricultural Mechanization, Other Agricultural Production Operations, General
Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production
Aquaculture Crop Production Dairy Husbandry and Production
Horse Husbandry /Equine Science and Management
Agricultural Production Operations, Other Agricultural and Food Products Processing
Animal Training
Equestrian/Equine Studies
Taxidermy/Taxidermist

CIP Code 01.0603 01.0604 01.0605 01.0606
01.0607 01.0608 01.0699

Description
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services, Other Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations, General Ornamental Horticulture Greenhouse Operations and Management
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Plant Nursery Operations and Management Turf and Turfgrass Management

01.0701 01.0801 01.0802

Floriculture/Floristry Operations and Management
Applied Horticulture/Horticultural Business Services, Other International Agriculture

01.0899 01.0901 01.0902

Agricultural and Extension Education Services
Agricultural Communication/Journalism
Agricultural Public Services, Other

01.0903 01.0904

Animal Sciences, General Agricultural Animal Breeding

01.0905 Animal Health

01.0906 01.0907 01.0999
01.1001

Animal Nutrition Dairy Science Livestock Management
Poultry Science

01.1002 01.1099

Animal Sciences, Other Food Science

01.1101 01.1102 01.1103

Food Technology and Processing Food Science & Technology, Other Plant Sciences, General

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CIP Code

Description

01.1104 Agronomy and Crop Science

01.1105 01.1106 01.1199
01.1201 01.1202 01.1203
01.1299
01.9999 03.0101 03.0102
03.0103 03.0104
03.0199
03.0201 03.0204 03.0205
03.0206
03.0299
03.0301 03.0501 03.0502 03.0506
03.0508 03.0509
03.0510
03.0511 03.0599

Horticultural Science
Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management Range Science and Management Plant Sciences, Other Soil Science and Agronomy, General
Soil Chemistry and Physics
Soil Microbiology Soil Sciences, Other
Agriculture, Agricultural Operation, and Related Sciences, Other Natural Resources/Conservation, General Environmental Science (was combined with 03.0103 as 03.0102 prior to 2000 CIP) Natural Resources, Conservation, and Research, General Natural Resources Management and Policy Natural Resource Economics Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management Land Use Planning and Management/Development Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management Forestry, General Forest Sciences and Biology
Forest Management/Forest Resources Management Urban Forestry Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology
Forest Resources Production & Management Forest Technology/Technician Forestry, Other

.

-

CIP Code 03.0601
03.9999
04.0301
04.0401
04.0601 13.1301 14.0301 14.1401
14.2801 14.3401
19.0505
19.0901

Description
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
Natural Resources and Conservation, Other City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning Environmental Design/Architecture Landscape Architecture
Agricultural Teacher Education Agricultural/Biological Engineering and Bioengineering Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering Textile Sciences and Engineering Forest Engineering (did not exist until 2000 CIP) Foodservice Systems Administration/Management
Apparel and Textiles, General

19.0902 Apparel and Textile Manufacturing

19.0904
26.0301
26.0305 26.0307
26.0308
26.0399
26.0701
26.0702 26.0707 26.0708
26.0709 26.0710
26.1101
26.1201 . .

Textile Science (did not exist until 2000 CIP) Botany/Plant Biology
Plant Pathology/Phytopathology Plant Physiology
Plant Molecular Biology (did not exist until 2000 Botany/Plant Biology, Other
Zoology/Animal Biology
Entomology Animal Physiology Animal Behavior and Ethnology
Wildlife Biology Zoology/Animal Biology, Other
Biometry/Biometrics
Biotechnology
-

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CIP Code

Description

CIP Code

Description

List of Relevant CIP Codes Related Programs (Business and Parks and Leisure Studies)

31.0101 31.0301 45.0602

Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
Applied Economics

45.0604

Development Economics and International Development

Cells in bold indicate degrees/certificates awarded for the 2002-2006 period, USG

52.0201 52.0205 52.0701 52.0703
52.0905

Business Administration and Management, General. Operations Management and Supervision
Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies Small Business Administration/Management (did not exist until 2000 CIP)
Restaurant/Food Services Management

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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Appendix E:

Long-Term Occupational Projections to 2014, Georgia, by SOC Code

SOC Code
11-9011 11-9121 13-2072 17-1012 17-2021 17-2081 17-3025 19-1011 19-1012 19-1013 19-1023 19-1031 19-1032 19-1099 19-2041 19-3011 19-3021 19-3022 19-3051 19-4011 19-4021 19-4091 19-4093 25-1041
25-1043
25-1053 25-1063 25-1194
25-2023
25-2032 25-9021

Long-Term Occupational Projections

2004-2014

Georgia - Statewide

Occupation

Education & Training
Code

2014 Projected Employ-
ment

% Change in Employ-
ment

Farm, Ranch, and Other Agricultural Managers

4

6,320

15.3%

Natural Sciences Managers

4

1,320

3.3%

Loan Officers

5

10,040

5.7%

Landscape Architects

5

1,960

21.9%

Agricultural Engineers

5

60

10.5%

Environmental Engineers

5

1,330

27.2%

Environmental Engineering Technicians

6

1,000

37.0%

Animal Scientists

5

*

*

Food Scientists and Technologists

5

360

29.9%

Soil and Plant Scientists

5

570

9.3%

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists

5

660

6.8%

Conservation Scientists

5

440

-9.5%

Foresters

5

400

-1.0%

Life Scientists, All Other

5

250

22.3%

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

3

1,160

10.2%

Economists

3

260

-10.3%

Market Research Analysts

5

5,270

21.0%

Survey Researchers

5

470

28.9%

Urban and Regional Planners

3

520

14.9%

Agricultural and Food Science Technicians

6

*

*

Biological Technicians

6

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

6

Forest and Conservation Technicians

6

Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary

2

Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary

2

Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary

2

Economics Teachers, Postsecondary

2

Vocational Education Teachers, Postsecondary

4

Vocational Education Teachers, Middle School

4

Vocational Education Teachers, Secondary School

4

Farm and Home Management Advisors

5

830 760 860
* * * 420 6,030 430 2,850 270

0.1% 22.5% -12.8%
* * * 28.0% 30.1% 22.5% 26.3% 12.3%

Annual Growth
Rate
1.4%
0.3% 0.6% 2.0% 1.0% 2.4% 3.2%
* 2.6% 0.9% 0.7% -1.0% -0.1% 2.0%
1.0% -1.1% 1.9% 2.6% 1.4%
* 0.0%
2.0%
-1.4%
*
*
*
2.5%
2.7%
2.1%
2.4%
1.2%

Annual Openings
from Growth
84
4 54 35 1 28 27 * 8 5 4 0 0 5
11 0 92 11 7 * 0
14
0
*
*
*
9
140
8
59
3

Annual Openings
180 30 210 50 0 50 40 * 10 10 20 10 10 10 30 10 210 20 20 * 10 30 20 *
*
* 20 250
20
120 10

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 99

SOC Code
27-3021

Occupation Broadcast News Analysts

Long-Term Occupational Projections

2004 -2014

Georgia - Statewide

Education & Training
Code

2014 Projected Employ-
ment

% Change in Employ-
ment

4

520

23.5%

27-3022 Reporters and Correspondents

4

970

7.0%

27-3042 Technical Writers

5

1,420

24.3%

29-2056 Veterinary Technologists and Technicians

6

1,980

28.8%

33-3031 Fish and Game Wardens

6

440

11.0%

Total- college-educated levels 1 - 6

1-6

50,170

15.6%

Annual Growth
Rate
2.1% 0.7% 2.2% 2.6% 1.0% 1.5%

Annual Openings
from Growth
10
6
28
44
4
701

Annual Openings
20 30 60 60 10 1,580

49-3041 Farm Equipment Mechanics

7

Total- college-educated levels 1 - 7

1-7

11-9051 Food Service Managers

8

13-1021

Purchasing Agents and Buyers, Farm Products

8

35-1012

First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Food Preparation and Serving Workers

8

First-Line Supervisors/Managers of

37-1012 Landscaping, Lawn Service, and Grounds-

8

keeping Workers

41-1011

First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Retail Sales Workers

8

45-1011

First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers

8

45-1012 Farm Labor Contractors

8

45-2011 Agricultural Inspectors

8

45-2041 Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products

8

51-1011

First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Production and Operating Workers

8

11-9012 Farmers and Ranchers

9

51-3021 Butchers and Meat Cutters

9

37-3012

Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation

10

39-2011 Animal Trainers

10

45-2091 Agricultural Equipment Operators

10

45-3011 Fishers and Related Fishing Workers

10

45-3021 Hunters and Trappers

10

45-4011 Forest and Conservation Workers

10

45-4021 Fallers

10

45-4022 Logging Equipment Operators

10

45-4023 Log Graders and Scalers

10

45-4029 Logging Workers, All Other

10

51-3023 Slaughterers and Meat Packers

10

37-3011

Landscaping and Grounds keeping Workers

11

700

7.0%

0.6%

5

50,870

22.6%

1.5%

706

12,760

21.2%

1.9%

223

260

15.3%

1.4%

4

32,200

27.2%

2.4%

689

9,040

18.2%

1.7%

139

55,680

9.3%

0.9%

474

3,130

10.3%

1.0%

29

60

-1.8%

-0.2%

0

700

5.7%

0.6%

4

1,400

9.5%

0.9%

12

26,210

10.6%

1.0%

252

*

*

*

*

5,910

13.5%

1.3%

70

850

17.8%

1.6%

13

1,070

27.1%

2.4%

23

1,930

9.3%

0.9%

16

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

630

8.0%

0.8%

5

950

-2.7%

-0.3%

0

3,310

8.6%

0.8%

26

460

-10.9%

-1.1%

0

370

-5.3%

-0.5%

0

7,930

19.4%

1.8%

129

36,630

20.1%

1.8%

613

20 1,600 400
10
1,290
210
1,390
90 0 20 50 750 * 180 30 40 70 * * 20 20 80 10 10 280 1,280

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 100

SOC Code
37-3013

Occupation Tree Trimmers and Pruners

Long-Term Occupational Projections

2004-2014

Georgia - Statewide

Education & Training
Code

2014 Projected Employ-
ment

% Change in Employ-
ment

11

1,040

13.1%

45-2021 45-2092 45-2093

Animal Breeders
Farm workers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse Farm workers, Farm and Ranch Animals

11

450

37.2%

11

24,670

10.3%

11

2,720

3.6%

45-2099 Agricultural Workers, All Other

51-3022 51-3091

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders

51-3092 Food Batch makers

51-3093

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

Total non-college educated (levels 8 - 11)

11

400

13.8%

11

9,540

22.1%

11

550

20.3%

11

2,350

16.0%

11

1,520

11.0%

8-11

244,720

Annual Growth
Rate 1.2% 3.2% 1.0% 0.4% 1.3% 2.0%
1.9% 1.5% 1.1% 1.4%

Annual Openings
from Growth
12 12
230
10 5
172
9
32
15
3218

Annual Openings
30 20 860 80 10 340
20 80 50 7,720

Total Georgia Agribusiness College educated as % of total (levels 1-6) College educated as % of total (levels 17) * Suppressed data

295,590 17.0% 17.2%

1.4%

3,924

9,320 17.0%

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 101

Appendix F: Occupational Characteristics by SOC Codes

SOC Code

Occupation

Farm, Ranch, and 11-9011 Other Agricultural
Managers

11-9121

Natural Sciences Managers

13-2072 Loan Officers

Education &
Training Code

BLS Description of Education and Training Characteristics

Most farmers receive their training on the job, often by being raised

on a farm. However, the completion of a 2-year associate degree or

a 4-year bachelor`s degree at a college of agriculture is becoming

4

increasingly important for farm managers and for farmers and

ranchers who expect to make a living at farming. A degree in farm

management or in business with a concentration in agriculture is

important.

These managers usually have education similar to that of the

workers they supervise. Natural science managers interested in

more technical management may earn traditional master`s or Ph.D.

4

degrees in natural sciences or master`s degrees in science that incorporate business management skills. Those interested in more

general management may pursue an MBA. Given the rapid pace of

scientific developments, science managers must continuously

upgrade their knowledge.

Loan officers usually need a bachelor`s degree in finance,

5

economics, or a related field. Previous banking, lending, or sales

experience is also highly valued by employers.

17-1012 Landscape Architects

17-2021 Agricultural Engineers

17-2081

Environmental Engineers

Environmental 17-3025 Engineering
Technicians

A bachelor`s or master`s degree in landscape architecture usually is

necessary for entry into the profession. Almost every state requires

5

landscape architects to be licensed. While requirements vary among the states, they usually include a degree in landscape

architecture from an accredited school, work experience, and the

passage of the Landscape Architect Registration Exam.

Agricultural engineers apply knowledge of engineering technology

and science to agriculture and the efficient use of biological

5

resources. A bachelor`s degree in engineering is required for almost all entry-level engineering jobs. Agricultural engineers often

work in research and development, production, sales, or

management.

Environmental engineers develop solutions to environmental

5

problems using the principles of biology and chemistry. A bachelor`s degree in engineering is required for almost all entry-

level engineering jobs.

Most engineering technicians enter the occupation with an

associate degree in engineering technology. Training is available at

6

technical institutes, community colleges, extension divisions of

colleges and universities, public and private vocational-technical

schools, and in the Armed Forces.

19-1011 Animal Scientists

Most agricultural and food scientists need at least a master`s degree

5

to work in basic or applied research, whereas a bachelor`s degree is sufficient for some jobs in applied research or product development,

or jobs in other occupations related to agricultural science.

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 102

SOC Code

Occupation

19-1012

Food Scientists and Technologists

Education &
Training Code

BLS Description of Education and Training Characteristics

Food scientists and technologists usually work in the food

processing industry, universities, or the Federal Government to

create and improve food products. Most agricultural and food

5

scientists need at least a master`s degree to work in basic or

applied research, whereas a bachelor`s degree is sufficient for some

jobs in applied research or product development, or jobs in other

occupations related to agricultural science.

19-1013

Soil and Plant Scientists

19-1023

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists

19-1031

Conservation Scientists

19-1032 Foresters

19-1099

Life Scientists, All Other

19-2041

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

19-3011 Economists

Soil scientists study the chemical, physical, biological, and

mineralogical composition of soils as it relates to plant growth. Most

5

agricultural and food scientists need at least a master`s degree to work in basic or applied research, whereas a bachelor`s degree is

sufficient for some jobs in applied research or product development,

or jobs in other occupations related to agricultural science.

Zoologists and wildlife biologists study animals and wildlife--their

origin, behavior, diseases, and life processes. Most biological

scientists need a Ph.D. degree in biology or one of its subfields to

5

work in research or development positions. A period of postdoctoral

work in the laboratory of a senior researcher has become common

for biological scientists who intend to conduct research or teach at

the university level.

Most conservation scientist jobs require a bachelor`s degree.

Research and teaching positions usually need a graduate degree.

5

Conservation scientists generally have at least a bachelor`s degree in fields such as ecology, natural resource management,

agriculture, biology, or environmental science. A master`s degree or

Ph.D. is usually required for teaching and research positions.

A bachelor`s degree in forestry, biology, natural resource

5

management, environmental sciences, or a related discipline is the minimum educational requirement for careers in forestry. Research

and teaching positions usually need a graduate degree.

5

No specific description.

Environmental scientists conduct research to identify, abate, and

eliminate hazards that affect people, wildlife, and their

3

environments. A bachelor`s degree in an earth science is adequate for a few entry-level positions, but environmental scientists

increasingly need a master`s degree in environmental science,

hydrology, or a related natural science.

Many economists apply economics to health, education, agriculture,

urban and regional economics, law, history, energy, the

3

environment, or other issues. Some entry-level positions for economists are available to those with a bachelor`s degree, but

higher degrees are required for many positions. Prospective

economists need good quantitative skills.

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 103

SOC Code

Occupation

Education &
Training Code

BLS Description of Education and Training Characteristics

19-3021

Market Research Analysts

Market research analysts devise methods and procedures for

obtaining the data they need. A bachelor`s degree is usually

sufficient for entry-level market and survey research positions.

5

Higher degrees may be required for some positions, however.

Continuing education and keeping current with the latest methods of

developing, conducting, and analyzing surveys and other data also

is important for advancement.

19-3022 Survey Researchers

Survey researchers also gather information about people and their

opinions, but these workers focus exclusively on designing and

conducting surveys. A bachelor`s degree is usually sufficient for

5

entry-level market and survey research positions. Higher degrees may be required for some positions, however. Continuing education

and keeping current with the latest methods of developing,

conducting, and analyzing surveys and other data also is important

for advancement.

19-3051

Urban and Regional Planners

Most entry-level jobs in Federal, State, and local governments

require a master`s degree from an accredited program in urban or

regional planning or a related field, such as urban design or

3

geography. Students are admitted to master`s degree programs in

planning with a wide range of undergraduate backgrounds; a

bachelor`s degree in economics, geography, political science, or

environmental design is especially good preparation.

19-4011

Agricultural and Food Science Technicians

Agricultural and food science technicians work with related

scientists to conduct research, development, and testing on food

and other agricultural products. Many employers prefer applicants

who have at least 2 years of specialized training or an associate

6

degree in applied science or science-related technology. Because

employers` preferences vary, however, some science technicians

have a bachelor`s degree in chemistry, biology, or forensic science

or have completed several science and math courses at a 4-year

college.

19-4021 Biological Technicians

Biological technicians work with biologists studying living organisms.

Many employers prefer applicants who have at least 2 years of

specialized training or an associate degree in applied science or

6

science-related technology. Because employers` preferences vary,

however, some science technicians have a bachelor`s degree in

chemistry, biology, or forensic science or have completed several

science and math courses at a 4-year college.

19-4091

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

Environmental science and protection technicians perform

laboratory and field tests to monitor environmental resources and

determine the contaminants and sources of pollution in the

environment. Many employers prefer applicants who have at least

6

2 years of specialized training or an associate degree in applied

science or science-related technology. Because employers`

preferences vary, however, some science technicians have a

bachelor`s degree in chemistry, biology, or forensic science or have

completed several science and math courses at a 4-year college.

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 104

SOC Code

Occupation

Forest and 19-4093 Conservation
Technicians

Education &
Training Code

BLS Description of Education and Training Characteristics

Forest and conservation technicians compile data on the size,

content, and condition of forest land. Many employers prefer

applicants who have at least 2 years of specialized training or an

6

associate degree in applied science or science-related technology. Because employers` preferences vary, however, some science

technicians have a bachelor`s degree in chemistry, biology, or

forensic science or have completed several science and math

courses at a 4-year college.

Agricultural Sciences 25-1041 Teachers,
Postsecondary

The education and training required of postsecondary teachers

varies widely, depending on the subject taught and educational

institution employing them. Educational requirements for teachers

2

are generally highest at research universities, where a Ph.D. is the

most commonly held degree; at career and technical institutes,

experience and expertise in a related occupation is the principal

qualification.

25-1043

Forestry and Conservation Science Teachers, Postsecondary

The education and training required of postsecondary teachers

varies widely, depending on the subject taught and educational

institution employing them. Educational requirements for teachers

2

are generally highest at research universities, where a Ph.D. is the

most commonly held degree; at career and technical institutes,

experience and expertise in a related occupation is the principal

qualification.

Environmental 25-1053 Science Teachers,
Postsecondary

25-1063

Economics Teachers, Postsecondary

Vocational Education 25-1194 Teachers,
Postsecondary

The education and training required of postsecondary teachers

varies widely, depending on the subject taught and educational

institution employing them. Educational requirements for teachers

2

are generally highest at research universities, where a Ph.D. is the

most commonly held degree; at career and technical institutes,

experience and expertise in a related occupation is the principal

qualification.

The education and training required of postsecondary teachers

varies widely, depending on the subject taught and educational

institution employing them. Educational requirements for teachers

2

are generally highest at research universities, where a Ph.D. is the

most commonly held degree; at career and technical institutes,

experience and expertise in a related occupation is the principal

qualification.

The education and training required of postsecondary teachers

varies widely, depending on the subject taught and educational

institution employing them. Educational requirements for teachers

4

are generally highest at research universities, where a Ph.D. is the

most commonly held degree; at career and technical institutes,

experience and expertise in a related occupation is the principal

qualification.

Vocational Education 25-2023 Teachers, Middle
School

The traditional route to becoming a public school teacher involves

completing a bachelor`s degree from a teacher education program

4

and then obtaining a license. Aspiring secondary school teachers

most often major in the subject they plan to teach while also taking

a program of study in teacher preparation.

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 105

SOC Code

Occupation

Vocational Education 25-2032 Teachers, Secondary
School

Education &
Training Code

BLS Description of Education and Training Characteristics

Traditional education programs for kindergarten and elementary

school teachers include courses designed specifically for those

4

preparing to teach. These courses include mathematics, physical science, social science, music, art, and literature, as well as

prescribed professional education courses, such as philosophy of

education, psychology of learning, and teaching methods.

25-9021

Farm and Home Management Advisors

27-3021

Broadcast News Analysts

27-3022

Reporters and Correspondents

Advise, instruct, and assist individuals and families engaged in

agriculture, agricultural-related processes, or home economics

activities. Demonstrate procedures and apply research findings to

5

solve problems; instruct and train in product development, sales, and the utilization of machinery and equipment to promote general

welfare. Include county agricultural agents, feed and farm

management advisors, home economists, and extension service

advisors.

Most employers prefer individuals with a bachelor`s degree in

journalism or mass communications, but some hire graduates with

other majors. They look for experience at school newspapers or

4

broadcasting stations, and internships with news organizations.

Large-city newspapers and stations also may prefer candidates with

a degree in a subject-matter specialty such as economics, political

science, or business.

Most employers prefer individuals with a bachelor`s degree in

journalism or mass communications, but some hire graduates with

other majors. They look for experience at school newspapers or

4

broadcasting stations, and internships with news organizations.

Large-city newspapers and stations also may prefer candidates with

a degree in a subject-matter specialty such as economics, political

science, or business.

27-3042 Technical Writers

Increasingly, technical writing requires a degree in, or some

knowledge about, a specialized field--for example, engineering,

business, or one of the sciences. Knowledge of a second language

5

is helpful for some positions. A background in web design, computer

graphics, or other technology field is increasingly practical, because

of the growing use of graphics and representational design in

developing technical documentation.

Veterinary 29-2056 Technologists and
Technicians

There are primarily two levels of education and training for entry to

6

this occupation: a 2-year program for veterinary technicians and a

4-year program for veterinary technologists.

33-3031

Fish and Game Wardens

Fish and game wardens must meet specific requirements. Most

States require at least 2 years of college study. Once hired, fish and

6

game wardens attend a training academy lasting from 3 to 12

months, sometimes followed by further training in the field.

Occupations typed in red indicate those for which data were suppressed.
Source, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Engineering and Natural Sciences Managers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos009.htm (visited August 01, 2008).

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 106

Appendix G: Degree Programs Offered, University System of Georgia

Degrees and Majors as of Summer 2008

Abraham Baldwin Bainbridge Agricultural College College

Fort Valley State
University

University of Georgia

Georgia Institute of Technology

Certificate of Less than One Year

Certificate in Forest Technology

x

Certificate in Agrosecurity

x

Certificate in Agribusiness Law

x

Certificate in Community Forestry

x

Certificate in International Agriculture

x

Certificate in Integrative Pest Management

x

Certificate in Organic Agriculture

x

Certificate in Water Resources

x

Associate and Career Associate

Associate of Applied Science in Agricultural

x

Business Technology

Associate of Applied Science in Agricultural

x

x

Engineering Technology

Associate of Applied Science in

x*

Environmental Horticulture Technology*

Associate of Applied Science in Forest

x

Technology

Associate of Science in Agribusiness and

x

Agricultural Economics

Associate of Science in Agriculture

x

Associate of Arts in Communication -

x

Agricultural Communication Track

Associate of Science in Agricultural

x

Education

Associate of Science in Agricscience and

x

Environmental Systems

Associate of Science in Animal Sciences

x

Associate of Science in Plant Sciences

x

Associate of Science in Biological and

x

Agricultural Engineering

Associate of Science in Forest and/or

x

Wildlife Management

Associate of Applied Science in Livestock

x

Production Technology

Associate of Applied Science in Agricultural

x

Production Technology

Associate of Applied Science in Wildlife

x

Technology

Associate of Applied Science in Forest

x

Technology

Associate of Applied Science in Ornamental

x

Horticulture

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Page 107

Degrees and Majors as of Summer 2008

Abraham Baldwin Bainbridge Agricultural College College

Fort Valley State
University

University of Georgia

Georgia Institute of Technology

Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary

Technology

x

Associate of Science in Pre-Agricultural

x

Engineering

Associate In Arts in Agriculture

Bachelor's

Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) with a

x

major in Diversified Agricultural

Bachelor of Applied Science with a major in

x

Turfgrass and Golf Course Management

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural

Education (with Teacher Certification)

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Agricultural Economics

Bachelor of Science with a major in

Agricultural Engineering Technology

Bachelor of Science with a major in

Veterinary Technology

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Animal Science

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Ornamental Horticulture

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Plant Sciences

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Agribusiness

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Agricultural and Applied

Economics

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Agricultural Communications

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Agricultural Education

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Agriscience and Environmental

Systems

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Animal Science

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Animal Health

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Avian Biology

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Biological Science

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Dairy Science

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a

major in Food Science

x x x x x x x
x x
x x x
x x x x x x

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Page 108

Degrees and Majors as of Summer 2008

Abraham Baldwin Bainbridge Agricultural College College

Fort Valley State
University

University of Georgia

Georgia Institute of Technology

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in Horticulture Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in Landscape and Grounds Management Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in Poultry Science Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in Turfgrass Management Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering Bachelor of Science in Applied Biotechnology Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences with a major in Entomology Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences with a major in Environmental Economics and Management Bachelor of Science in Environmental Chemistry Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences with a major in Environmental Resource Science Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences with a major in Water and Soil Sciences Bachelor of Landscape Architecture
Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources with a major in Forestry Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources with a major in Forest Resources Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources with a major in Fisheries and Aquaculture Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources with a major in Water and Soils Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources with a major in Wildlife Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources with a major in Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism Bachelor of Science with a major in Environmental Engineering Bachelor of Science with a major in Textile Sciences and Engineering Bachelor of Science with a major in Textiles
Bachelor of Science with a major in Polymer and Fiber Engineering

x x
x x x x x x x
x x
x
x x x x x x x
x x x x

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 109

Degrees and Majors as of Summer 2008

Abraham Baldwin Bainbridge Agricultural College College

Fort Valley State
University

University of Georgia

Georgia Institute of Technology

Bachelor of Science with a major in

x

Polymer and Textile Chemistry

Bachelor of Science with a major in Textiles

x

Enterprise Management

BS / MCRP in City & Regional Planning

x

Advanced Certificate Graduate Certificate in Conservation Ecology and Sustainable Development
Master's Master of Science in Animal Science ** Master of Science in Agricultural Economics Master of Science in Agricultural Engineering Master of Science in Biological Engineering Master of Science in Conservation Ecology and Sustainable Development Master of Science in Crop and Soil Sciences Master of Science in Dairy Science Master of Science in Entomology Master of Science in Environmental Economics Master of Science in Food Science Master of Science in Forest Resources Master of Science in Horticulture Master of Science in Plant Biology Master of Science in Plant Pathology Master of Science in Poultry Science Master of Science in Textile Merchandising and Interiors Master of Science in Veterinary Biomedical Science Master of Agricultural Leadership Master of Crop and Soil Sciences Master of Food Technology Master of Plant Protection and Pest Management *** Master of Landscape Architecture Master of Forest Resources Master of Food Animal Medicine Master of Avian Medicine Master of Animal and Dairy Science

x

x **

x

x

x

x x

x

x x x

x x x x x x x

x

x x x x ***

x x x x x

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Page 110

Degrees and Majors as of Summer 2008

Abraham Baldwin Bainbridge Agricultural College College

Fort Valley State
University

University of Georgia

Georgia Institute of Technology

Master of Agricultural Economics
Master of Science with a major in Environmental Science Master of City and Regional Planning
Master of Science with a major in Environmental Engineering Master of Science in Environmental Engineering Master of Science with a major in Paper Science and Engineering Master of Science with a major in Polymer, Textile, and Fiber Engineering

x
x x x x x

Doctorate

Doctor of Philosophy in Agricultural and

x

Applied Economics

Doctor of Philosophy in Animal and Dairy

x

Science

Doctor of Philosophy in Animal Nutrition

x

Doctor of Philosophy in Biological and

x

Agricultural Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy in Crop and Soil

x

Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Entomology

x

Doctor of Philosophy in Forest Resources

x

Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science

x

Doctor of Philosophy in Horticulture

x

Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Biology

x

Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Pathology

x

Doctor of Philosophy in Poultry Science

x

Doctor of Philosophy in Textile Sciences

x

Doctor of Philosophy in Veterinary

x

Pathology

Doctor of Philosophy with a major in

x

Bioengineering

Doctor of Philosophy with a major in Paper

x

Science and Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy with a major in

x

Environmental Engineering

Doctor of Philosophy with a major in

Polymer, Textile, and Fiber Engineering

Note: Degree program offerings are subject to frequent changes that may not be reflected in available print and on-line resources due to timing of the research. Degrees may be verified by visiting the links for prospective students at each institution's web page or at https://app.usg.edu/portal/page?_pageid=93,1&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

* with specializations in Commercial Turf Management, Golf Course Management; Ornamental Production; Golf Clubhouse Management;, Landscape Design and Grounds Management; and Sports Turf Management
** with specialization in: Animal Nutrition; Reproductive Biology; Animal Products Technology

*** with emphases in Crop and Soil Science; Entomology; Horticulture; and Plant Pathology

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Page 111

Degrees and Majors as of Summer 2008
Certificate of Less than One Year Certificate in Environmental Studies Certificate in Environmental Science

Columbus State
University

Darton College

East Georgia College

Gainesville State
College

Georgia College and
State University

x x

Associate and Career Associate
Associate of Applied Science in Services with an Option in Environmental Horticulture (in cooperation
with North Georgia Technical College)
Associate of Applied Science in Services with an Option in Turf and Golf Course Management (in cooperation
with North Georgia Technical College)
Associate of Applied Science in PreForestry and Natural Resources
Associate of Science in Agriculture
Associate of Science in Biological Science Associate of Science in Agricultural Engineering Associate of Science in Biological Engineering Associate of Science in Environmental Science Associate of Science in Forestry/Forest Resources

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Bachelor's
Bachelor of Science with a major in Environmental Science
Bachelor of Science with a major in Applied Environmental Spatial Analysis - Environmental Science and Environmental Studies

x x

Master's

Master of Science with a major in Environmental Science

x

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Page 112

Degrees and Majors as of Summer 2008
Certificate of Less than One Year Certificate in Land Development

Georgia Highlands
College

Georgia Southern University

Georgia State
University

Southern Polytechnic
State University
x

University of West Georgia

Associate and Career Associate

Associate of Applied Science in

x

Services with an Option in

Environmental Horticulture in

cooperation with North Georgia

Technical College

Bachelor's Bachelor of Science in Apparel Textile Technology Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Rural Economic Development Bachelor of Science with a major in Environmental Science
Bachelor of Science with a major in Applied Environmental Spatial Analysis - Environmental Science and Environmental Studies
Advanced Certificate Graduate Certificate in Natural Resource Management Certificate in Planning and Economic Development
Master's Master of Science Rural and Small Town Planning Master of Science with a major in Environmental Science

x x
x x
x

Note: Degree program offerings are subject to frequent changes that may not be reflected in available print and on-line resources due to timing.

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 113

Appendix H:

Degrees and Certificates Conferred, University System of Georgia, 2002 2006

CIP Codes

Description

01.0000 Agriculture, General

01.0101
01.0102
01.0103 01.0104 01.0105 01.0106 01.0199
01.0201 01.0204 01.0205

Agricultural Business and Management, General
Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations
Agricultural Economics
Farm/Farm and Ranch Management Agricultural/Farm Supplies Retailing and Wholesaling Agricultural Business Technology
Agricultural Business and Management, Other
Agricultural Mechanization, General Agricultural Power Machinery Operation Agricultural Mechanics and Equipment/Machine Technology

01.0299 Agricultural Mechanization, Other

01.0301
01.0302
01.0303 01.0304 01.0306 01.0307
01.0399
01.0401
01.0505 01.0507 01.0508 01.0599
01.0601

Agricultural Production Operations, General Animal/Livestock Husbandry and Production
Aquaculture
Crop Production Dairy Husbandry and Production
Horse Husbandry /Equine Science and Management
Agricultural Production Operations, Other Agricultural and Food Products Processing Animal Training
Equestrian/Equine Studies
Taxidermy/Taxidermist
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services, Other
Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations, General

Total Awards 2002 -
2006
33

Total Undergraduate
Awards 2002 - 2006
33

Total Graduate Awards
2002 2006
-

Analysis

38

38

-

105

87

18

154

92

62

1

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

17

17

-

1

1

-

40

40

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

37

37

-

-

-

-

7

7

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

262

246

16

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 114

CIP Codes

Description

01.0603 Ornamental Horticulture

01.0604
01.0605
01.0606
01.0607 01.0608
01.0699
01.0701 01.0801
01.0802
01.0899 01.0901 01.0902 01.0903 01.0904 01.0905 01.0906 01.0907 01.0999 01.1001 01.1002 01.1099
01.1101 01.1102 01.1103 01.1104
01.1105
01.1106 01.1199 01.1201
01.1202 01.1203 01.1299

Greenhouse Operations and Management
Landscaping and Groundskeeping Plant Nursery Operations and Management Turf and Turfgrass Management Floriculture/Floristry Operations and Management
Applied Horticulture/Horticultural Business Services, Other
International Agriculture Agricultural and Extension Education Services
Agricultural Communication/Journalism Agricultural Public Services, Other Animal Sciences, General Agricultural Animal Breeding Animal Health Animal Nutrition Dairy Science Livestock Management Poultry Science Animal Sciences, Other Food Science Food Technology and Processing Food Science and Technology, Other Plant Sciences, General Agronomy and Crop Science Horticultural Science Agricultural and Horticultural Plant Breeding Plant Protection and Integrated Pest Management
Range Science and Management Plant Sciences, Other Soil Science and Agronomy, General Soil Chemistry and Physics Soil Microbiology Soil Sciences, Other

Total Awards 2002 -
2006
-
-

Total Undergraduate
Awards 2002 - 2006
-

Total Graduate Awards
2002 2006
-

Analysis

-

-

26

26

-

-

-

-

26

26

-

-

-

-

4

4

-

-

-

-

8

-

8

31

31

-

-

-

-

295

229

66

-

-

-

-

-

-

2

-

2

7

5

2

-

-

-

93

57

36

-

-

-

167

49

118

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

66

14

52

22

22

-

-

-

-

4

1

3

4

-

4

-

-

-

16

16

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 115

CIP Codes

Description

01.9999
03.0101 03.0102 03.0103
03.0104
03.0199
03.0201 03.0204 03.0205
03.0206
03.0299
03.0301 03.0501 03.0502 03.0506
03.0508 03.0509
03.0510 03.0511 03.0599 03.0601 03.9999 04.0301 04.0401 04.0601 13.1301

Agriculture, Agricultural Operation, and Related Sciences, Other Natural Resources/Conservation, General Environmental Science/Studies
Environmental Studies (was combined with 03.0104 as 03.0102 prior to 2000 CIP) Environmental Science (was combined with 03.0103 as 03.0102 prior to 2000 CIP) Natural Resources, Conservation, and Research, General
Natural Resources Management and Policy Natural Resource Economics
Water, Wetlands, and Marine Resources Management
Land Use Planning and Management/Development
Natural Resources Management and Policy, Other
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management
Forestry, General
Forest Sciences and Biology
Forest Management/Forest Resources Management
Urban Forestry
Wood Science and Wood Products/Pulp and Paper Technology Forest Resources Production and Management Forest Technology/Technician
Forestry, Other
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
Natural Resources and Conservation, Other City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
Environmental Design/Architecture Landscape Architecture
Agricultural Teacher Education

Total Awards 2002 -
2006
14 43 20
20
61
1 -
-
-
-
25 145 200
-
54 -
228 -
157 1
427 129

Total Undergraduate
Awards 2002 - 2006

Total Graduate Awards
2002 2006

Analysis

14

-

9

34

17

3

20

-

47

14

-

-

-

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

25

-

104

41

17

183

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

54

-

-

-

228

-

-

-

-

157

1

-

352

75

105

24

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 116

CIP Codes

Description

14.0301
14.1401
14.2801 14.3401
19.0505
19.0901 19.0902 19.0904
26.0301 26.0305 26.0307 26.0308
26.0399 26.0701 26.0702 26.0707 26.0708 26.0709 26.0799 26.1101 26.1201

Agricultural/Biological Engineering and Bioengineering
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
Textile Sciences and Engineering Forest Engineering (did not exist until 2000 CIP) Foodservice Systems Administration/Management
Apparel and Textiles, General Apparel and Textile Manufacturing
Textile Science (did not exist until 2000 CIP) Botany/Plant Biology Plant Pathology/Phytopathology Plant Physiology
Plant Molecular Biology (did not exist until 2000 CIP) Botany/Plant Biology, Other
Zoology/Animal Biology Entomology Animal Physiology Animal Behavior and Ethnology
Wildlife Biology
Zoology/Animal Biology, Other
Biometry/Biometrics Biotechnology Core Ag and Allied Programs

Total Awards 2002 -
2006

Total Undergraduate
Awards 2002 - 2006

Total Graduate Awards
2002 2006

Analysis

182

154

28

132

-

132

85

55

30

19

10

9

49 104
2
5 52 20 -
82 5 42
3770

44 91 -
8 -
31 42
2507

5 13
2
5 44 20 -
51
5 1263

Key to Analysis Graduate but No Undergraduate awards
Undergraduate but No graduate awards
No Certificates or Degrees awarded
Graduate and undergraduate awards conferred 2002- 2006
Programs typed in bold indicate that awards were conferred for 2002-2006

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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Appendix I: Summary of Responses to Survey Questions, Georgia Agribusiness Needs Assessment Survey

Georgia Agribusiness Needs Assessment Survey

Which of the following in the primary agribusiness area for your company? (Choose only one.)

Answer Options
Agricultural Consulting Agricultural Finance and Risk Minimization Government/Education Related to Agricultural Production
Other Farm Production & Farm Support Activities
Trade Organization Animal and Animal Aquaculture Production Food Warehousing, Wholesaling, & Retailing Operations Forestry and Logging Operations Agricultural Chemical & Machinery Manufacturing Food, Beverage, & Tobacco Manufacturing Wood and Paper Product Manufacturing Crop and Greenhouse Production Other (Please specify below.)

Response Percent 1.6% 2.2% 2.7%
3.2%
3.2% 3.8% 3.8% 5.4% 5.4% 7.5% 10.2% 17.4% 37.6% answered question

Response Count 3 7 10
20
11 11 15 10 12 16 19 33 23 190

What is the current approximate size of your workforce and what percentage of full-time positions in your company require a college degree in Georgia and all U.S. locations?

Answer Options Approximate number of employees in Georgia? Percent (%) of full time positions requiring a college degree: Georgia? Approximate number of employees in the U.S.?
Percent (%) of full time positions requiring a college degree: U.S.?

Response Average
115.95

Respons e Total
21103

25.87

4657

1822.03

251440

23.05

3135

answered question

Response Count 182
180
138
136
184

Is a college degree in a specific subject matter currently required for entry-level positions in your company?

Answer Options Yes - All Yes - Most Yes - Some No

Response Percent 2.2%
10.8%
29.2%
57.8% answered question

Response Count 4 20 54
107
185

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In the future, how important will each of the following attributes/skills be in college-educated applicants considered for hire in your company?

Answer Options

Required Preferred

Project management skills Statistics and mathematics Written communication skills

40

101

36

97

81

72

Oral communication skills

111

57

Foreign language capabilities

7

91

Office software/computer competency

91

68

Study abroad experience

2

25

Internship experience

10

92

Prior work experience

30

119

Initiative

119

45

Leadership/team building skills

76

87

Interpersonal/cultural diversity skills

32

102

Critical thinking/problem solving

107

59

Customer relations skills

102

62

Business ethics

106

61

Other (Please specify below.)

answered question

Not Important
28 38 16 5 71 14 146 68 22 8 10 37 8 9 6

Response Count
169 171 169 173 169 173 173 170 171 172 173 171 174 173 173
8
178

Other responses:
Chemical, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering degree Industry related experience Realistic expectations for work requirements and pay Subject matter specific skills - required

General Agriculture Marketing skills/experience Speak English Trade Skills

As you look forward to the future, how important will it be for new employees to have a college degree?

Answer Options
In the next 2-5 years In the next 6-10 years

Very Important
58 76

Somewhat Important
74 63

Not

Don't Know/

Important Not Sure

31

15

14

17

answered question

Response Count 178
170
181

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Over the next five years, what are your expectations about your workforce needs?

Answer Increase Options > 10%

General Workforce
Collegeeducated Workforce

36 20.1%
30 17.6%

Increase 6-10%
17 9.5%
26 15.3%

Increase 3-5%
27 15.1%
20 11.8%

Increase 1-2%
23 12.8%
27 15.9%

No Change

Decrease

53

6

Don't Know/
Not Sure
17

29.6% 43

3.4% 0

9.5% 24

25.3%

0.0%

14.1%

answered question

Count 179 170 182

For positions requiring a college degree, for what portion of your openings would you REQUIRE specific subject matter in the following fields? (Check only those that apply. If none, leave blank. for "other", please specify.)

Answer Options
Agribusiness/Agricultural Economics/General Business Animal Sciences (Incl. Dairy & Poultry) Plant/Crop Sciences Public Relations & Communications Environmental Sciences Agricultural Engineering Food Science Forestry Geology/Earth Sciences Horticulture & Landscaping IT/Computer Science Turfgrass Management Agricultural Mechanization Soil Science Plant Protection & Pest Mgmt Agricultural Education Food Technology

All or Almost Most

Some A Few Response

All (>90%) (51-90%) (25-50%) (<25%) Count

28

29

23

26

106

9

5

9

37

60

11

13

19

29

72

18

25

21

30

94

13

13

17

30

73

9

11

15

41

76

5

4

11

41

61

8

10

19

38

75

3

1

17

35

56

16

6

17

29

68

12

18

29

28

87

3

10

11

37

61

5

13

19

32

69

4

11

14

23

52

12

16

20

28

76

9

12

19

33

73

7

3

10

46

66

Other (please specify below)

24

answered question

150

Other responses (number of occurrences in parentheses):

Association management; meeting planning Business A few Engineering - a few (3) Entomology and Plant Pathology essential Forestry -timber - a few Math and Statistics 15 hours` min.

Accounting/Finance - A few Economic Development Engineering - all/almost all (2) Some (2) Food Science (3) Government Relations Manufacturing

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For positions requiring a college degree, for what portion of your openings would you REQUIRE specific subject matter in the following fields? "Other" Continued:

Chemical, electrical or mechanical engineering Other - a few

Quality, R&D

Retail Farm Supply Store

Type of Degree not important

Sales

Rural Development Skill - building Up rural areas with jobs/housing/water/sewer

When you have vacant positions, for what proportion of the vacancies in the following fields has it been difficult to find applicants with college degrees?
If your record is zero vacancies in a particular field, select "Not Applicable" If you have had vacancies in a particular field but never experience problems filling the
vacancies, select "Never"

Answer Options
Mid-level management Entry level management Engineering and technical IT/Computer Science Marketing and sales Business operations Communications & P.R. Waste management Research/education Production & Processing Food/agricultural security

Always (>90%)
5.4% 8.1%
4.9% 5.0% 5.7% 4.2% 2.8% 2.2% 1.4% 3.5%
2.2%

Often (51-90%)
14.3% 9.5%

Sometimes (26-
50%)
15.0%
16.9%

Seldom (up to 25%)
11.6%
18.2%

Never (0%)

N/A Count

18.4% 35.4% 147 12.8% 34.5% 148

7.7%
6.4% 8.6% 11.8% 4.3% 1.5% 4.3%
7.8%

12.7%
13.5% 12.9% 15.3% 12.8% 2.9% 4.3%
14.9%

7.7%
16.3% 16.4% 16.0% 11.3% 5.8% 6.5%
15.6%

9.9% 57.0% 142
9.9% 48.9% 141 10.0% 46.4% 140 12.5% 40.3% 144 14.9% 53.9% 141 10.2% 77.4% 137 10.8% 72.7% 139
9.9% 48.2% 141

3.6%

3.6%

4.3%

7.2% 79.1% 139

Other (please specify)

5

answered question

157

Other responses:

Accounting Sometimes, HR sometimes Always (>90%) Agriculture and Statistics In our nonprofit, these 3 positions are grouped
into one which was filled by an applicant with a degree

Ag mechanization - always Field testing and statistical knowledge

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What has been the impact of the following on your company's ability to recruit and retain college-

educated employees?

Answer Options

Significant (> 75%)

Moderate (51-75%)

Average (31-50%)

Slight (10-30%)

Very Small (1-9%)

Not at Response

All

Count

Inadequate subject matter knowledge

16

20

30

35

8

41

150

Lack of prior work experience

10

17

47

26

8

42

150

Lack of interest in relocating

15

20

22

27

7

59

150

Employee

expectations not

consistent with

19

28

37

23

8

39

154

actual job

requirements

Employees`

promotion and/or

20

37

37

21

9

30

154

salary expectations

Other (please specify below)

3

answered question

160

Other responses:

Drug Problems

Mobility across U.S. (>75%)

Lack of competent verbal and written communication skills

Which of the following methods do you use to recruit college-educated applicants?

Answer Options

Always Often Sometimes Seldom Never Response

(> 90%) (51-90%) (26-50%) (1- 25%) (0%)

Count

Promote from within

9

53

Hire current interns

3

10

Recruit competitors` employees

0

21

Recruit at college career fairs

6

7

Use recruiting/search firms

2

14

Referrals from employees

5

32

University placement offices

3

6

Personal contacts at universities

11

17

GeorgiaHIRE.com

0

2

49

15

23

149

36

31

64

144

39

29

53

142

24

34

72

143

17

31

78

142

62

25

24

148

30

46

58

143

34

28

54

144

5

13

114

134

24

answered question

155

Other responses (number of occurrences in parentheses):

Craig`s list

industry contacts/networks - sometimes (7)

Industry contacts/networks (2)

Web sites such as www.gsae.org

Industry contacts - always

Monster.com (2)

Industry contacts - never

Trade Association Job Sites

Industry contacts/networks often (3)

Newspaper ads (2)

Industry contacts/networks seldom

Referrals from members

We don't currently have any college educated employees

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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From which of the following universities have you had most success in hiring college-educated applicants?

Answer Options Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Fort Valley State University Georgia Institute of Technology
University of Georgia
Other Univ./college in Georgia (Specify)
Auburn University
Clemson University
University of Florida
University of Tennessee Other U.S. University (Specify)

Always (>90%)
7
1
1 15 6 8 2 3 4
3

Often (5190%) 18
3
3 41 9 14 6 4 1
3

Sometimes (26-50%) 16
2
10 33 17 13 6 9 11
10

Seldom (1-25%)
11
8
12 21 14 14 19 15 11
12

Never (0%) 75
103
91 31 62 72 80 85 90
61

Response Count 127
117
117 141 108 121 113 116 117
89 52
150 50

Other responses (number of occurrences in parentheses):

Agnes Scott College Alabama A & M Area Technological Colleges,
Virginia Tech Athens Tech - seldom Anderson college - seldom Augusta State Berry College College of Charleston, Macon
State Columbus State Georgia Southern (13) Georgia College and State Valdosta State University University of South Carolina Mercer Southeastern Tech Inst Middle Tennessee Mercer Ohio State Georgia State Georgia State and Western GA

Kennesaw State Mercer Michigan State and Perdue Mississippi State (2) Austin Peavy State University Texas A & M NC State NC State - Sometimes FSU - Seldom South Florida - Seldom West Virginia - Sometimes" Never used North Carolina State University North Metro Tech North Metro Technical College Ogeechee Technical College Colorado State University Penn State Purdue Ohio State Samford University,
Birmingham, AL

Southern Tech, Kennesaw State
Southwestern Stanford, Ohio State Texas A & M University of Alabama University of Arkansas University of Puerto Rico" University of Kentucky University of Nebraska University of North Carolina University of Texas University of West Georgia, Iowa St. Valdosta State (3) West Florida, Okaloosa Walton
College, Florida Western Kentucky

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Page 123

How interested would you be in considering the following educational/ training programs for your current workforce?

Answer Options

Very

Moderately Slightly

Not

Response

Interested Interested Interested Interested Count

Job-specific education and training

31

Professional development (incl.

customer service, team building,

38

cultural competence, leadership)

Technology training (including

agricultural mechanization, computer

25

hardware and software)

Specific subject matter college

course work or certificates (Please

17

specify below)

Basic skills (including written & oral
communication, mathematics, statistics)

30

Foreign language training

19

49

31

41

152

46

37

39

160

41

42

45

153

27

32

57

133

40

33

58

161

26

38

74

157

Other (please specify)

15

answered question

166

Other responses:

Accounting/finance

Advanced communications/public relations;

membership recruitment and retention

Agronomy and entomology

Basic fertilizer material knowledge.

Dendrology

Farm Appraisals and management

Food Technology, Food Engineering

Foreign Language (Spanish)

GIS/GPS Mapping

Communication skills

Horticulture (2)

Manufacturing skills, computer skills, problem solving

skills, root cause analysis, Design of Experiments Organic production methods and marketing

Pulp & Paper Technology

Timber Cruising & Inventory

Sales forecasting and budgeting for fertilizer materials Taxes

How helpful would it be to the growth of your company if potential applicants had college-level training in the following subject matter/emphases?

Answer Options

Very Somewhat Not Don't Know/ Response

Helpful Helpful Helpful Not Sure

Count

Resource conservation

21

55

45

27

148

Integrated pest management

31

46

52

24

153

Integrated nutrient management

14

41

62

31

148

Bio-diversity

5

39

60

44

148

Waste management

15

43

57

31

146

Biotechnology

14

39

61

36

150

Government and Policy

28

54

43

24

149

Alternative fuel technology

12

54

52

30

148

Production management

40

70

19

21

150

Food/agrosecurity

17

38

62

32

149

Organic/sustainable agriculture

18

36

67

29

150

Precision agriculture

18

37

59

37

151

Agricultural mechanization /engineering technology

18

58

49

25

150

Ag business technology /computers in agriculture

39

54

40

19

152

Other (please specify)

2

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 124

How helpful would it be to the growth of your company if potential applicants had college-level training in the following subject matter/emphases? Other responses:

Statistics 6 Hour Minimum

Timber - don't know/not sure

In your sector of the industry, are there any innovations or new technology likely in the foreseeable future that would require new skills or training?

Answer Options Yes - A significant number Yes - A moderate amount Yes - A few No

Response Percent 10.7% 34.5% 31.5% 23.2%
If appropriate, please provide more information.
answered question

Response Count 18 58 53 39
34
168

Additional information provided:

Ag Mechanization/Engineering with new equipment and automation Alternative energy sources Creative solutions to water shortages ARCGIS and other mapping skills Automated packaging/processing equipment Bioenergy Biofuel From Forest operations Bio-fuels Biotech (2) Computer programs, food safety, GPS Computerization of Farmers Grain Tickets and Records Constantly changing pesticides Energy generation (methane etc), AI Entomology and plant pathology Food Distribution Safety Bio Fuels" Forest waste Bio Energy Utilization GIS GPS Innovations Genetics Web based decision models and databases High speed equipment Internet Technology, Taxes Requirements, Office Management/Time Management Knowledge of waste-energy solutions and marketing of value-added or organic products Marketing Skills Nanotechnology

New Food applications such as cheese or other volatile food products that are hard to make/keep shelf stable New machinery skills New Pulping technology as part of biodiversification New wastewater treatment systems and engineering software Organics Fuel alternatives in machinery Precision Ag, Air Quality, and Energy Conservation Precision farming technology Propagation Rain harvest technology Safety and quality foods (SQF) ASQ auditing Total Quality and performance skills Statistical Process Control Since we are in the education business it is imperative that our employees stay on the cutting edge of new agricultural technology across the board. Sustainability Transportation Technology The rapid advancement of fertigation in the blueberry industry may demand a more trained worker to operate those systems

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

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Has your company's expansion efforts or plans been hindered in any way by the quality or quantity of a college-educated workforce in Georgia?

Answer Options Quality Quantity

Yes - A lot 4 5

Yes Some
28
20

Yes - A

little

No

26

112

23

101

If appropriate, please share how plans have been impacted. answered question

Response Count 170 149
21
173

Reponses to how plans have been impacted:

College grads don't want to go into our field because it sometimes requires long hours, electrical knowledge, and getting their hands dirty
Expectations are unrealistic - many college (tech school) graduates expect to run a company when they accept a job. Several that we have hired have ideals that are not consistent with real-world applications. Most are unprepared to work in a multi-cultural environment, and are unwilling to adapt. They easily become disenchanted with the difficulty of the work, the cultural challenges, and the inability to immediately apply textbook concepts to actual work. Planning a future on this volatility is next to impossible.
Fully Field Trained Forestry workers are hard to find. Hard to find applicants that are work force ready
I find a way to get it done but it usually means more hours from my "brain trust" top employees. In recent years many of our management personnel have been hired within from our technical non college educated staff. This has hindered us to a degree in having the leadership and interpersonal skills to deal most effectively with customer and partners. Some of these skills are gained through the "college experience."
It's mostly the general workforce wanting more pay for less work. More hindrance in the area of skilled trades- electricians, mechanics, equipment operators and maintenance people
Most of our employment is minimum wage manual labor. Need folks that know how to get things done, and have a desire to accomplish something work related in their life Not college
Not yet at a stage of hiring for employment in Georgia Number of student diversity in turfgrass programs is inadequate. Diversity speaks to students interested in turfgrass other than golf industry. Student numbers too low for industry demands
Quality people with broad perspective and knowledge of the food industry Reduced FTE`s, few replacement hires when people retire. Very difficult to find qualified candidates for County Extension Agent positions
We are a seasonal business requiring a varied workforce- college degree not required or needed. On the job training necessary for all employees. Need employees with good common sense and ability to learn quickly. Must have good personality and people skills.
We are working our skilled professionals longer simply because you aren't making it attractiveness for young people to seek an agriculture future. We prefer home grown with hands on experience and will pay for it. Not too interested in background developed in other parts of the world lacking similar practices.
We have been unable to find anyone with a college education interested in working as a farmer We have had difficulty hiring qualified candidates in some of our more rural and remote counties.
Work Ethic that limits expansion , Wants position that's ACC, Worth ethic that earning to company funds expansion and growth

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Page 126

In considering your future need for college-educated workers, which of the following programs would be important to the growth of your company?

Answer Options Access to a university-managed resume bank Established internship programs University sponsored on-site instruction

Very Important
34
36
19

Somewhat Important
65
68
61

Not Important
32

Don't Know/ Not Sure
26

33

21

45

30

Other (please specify)
answered question

Response Count 157
158
155 17 160

Other responses (number of occurrences in parentheses):
University career centers specifically for students majoring in ag-related degree programs - not important (3) University career centers specifically for students majoring in ag-related degree programs - don't know/not sure (2) University career centers specifically for students majoring in ag-related degree programs - very helpful University career centers specifically for students majoring in ag-related degree programs somewhat important (7) University career centers specifically for students majoring in ag-related degree programs - very important (3)

I would like to receive a copy of the final report:

Answer Options Yes
No

Response Percent 77.7% 22.3%
answered question skipped question

Response Count 94 27
121 79

If necessary, may we contact you for further follow up about the study?

Answer Options Yes No

Response Percent 82.9% 17.1% answered question skipped question

Response Count 126 26 152 48

A Study of the Workforce Training Needs for the Agribusiness Industry in Georgia

Page 127

Appendix J:

Responses to Degree and Curricula Changes Needed to Improve USG Responsiveness

What changes in degrees and curricula would you recommend to the University System

of Georgia so that it could more readily respond to anticipated changes in the U.S.

agribusiness industry?

Answer Options

Response Count

78

answered question

78

skipped question

122

Responses:

Responses Provided by Survey Participants to Question About Changes in Degrees and Curricula to Improve Responsiveness
A. Programs - Curriculum Content
Fluency in Spanish (Mexican version);
Degrees in food processing and manufacturing, management, or engineering with an emphasis in a commodity, meat, poultry, vegetables, fruits grain merchandising
More emphasis on agricultural government and policy
Ecosystem Management; Endangered Species Habitat Management; GIS/GPS Field Use and CPU; Software Expertise; Wetland Recognition, Analysis and Protection; SE Forest Pest ID and Suppression; Prescribed Fire management
Food technology, Government food law and regulations.
More real business world curricula, in form of sales training, marketing, and budget writing. communication skills
Curricula should be developed to prepare students for workforce entry. Students need additional training in practical arenas. Check turf programs at Miss State and Auburn. Do you have anyone studying/specializing in Georgia Produce like Vidalia Onions? Because these 'niche' crops are big numbers to the state's economy. Banking/Finance -> Accounting, Business Law
Ability to understand the Farm Bill
more business applications; real world; leadership, coaching and building a successful business and team Emphasize written and oral communication skills.
Impact of Biofuels
Studies in Ag Policy/Government affairs; Studies in new technologies and studies in marketing of those new technologies and/or value added products According to an FRA Survey, the average age of people that owned logging areas in the US is 57 years. I think we need to train people in this field, including accounting and business management Develop hands on experience with all types of agricultural marketing. Offer more in the area of agricultural policy and the understanding of the historical perspective. More policy courses and financial management courses
Prepare students for international agribusiness, Alternative Fuels, Water management

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Responses Provided by Survey Participants to Question About Changes in Degrees and Curricula to Improve Responsiveness
Hunting and Shooting Preserve Management Require 6 hrs. in statistics for agricultural econ undergrad degree Introduction to government, especially relating to immigrant workers.
Introductions to psychology - this helps in dealing with teammates, customers, and more! Requirement of interpersonal communication, focus on completing assignments through teams.
Basics of fuel alternatives and implementation For managers only, important training -1) business management; 2) Accounting: 3) human relations labor laws/rules 1. Emphasis on production agriculture, more agronomists, entomologists, and horticulturist and mechanical engineering
2. the biggest need for businesses is work ethic
More business and management classes for Poultry Science Majors Some current degree programs are too specific. Need more candidates with broader range of expertise.
Continue Basic Egg Laying Training required - forest pathology and entomology; forest conservation; forest policy - governmental Stress Economics! food safety; legal issues regarding FSA and natural resources, especially water rights; advancing technologies in ag; ag marketing for sale of produce and advertising of produce food packing technology More written and oral communication classes. More on Government Programs and Impact of FSA program including price support and conservation Offer a Natural Resource Conservation Degree in the College of Ag Digital mapping Customer service and communications Management/Leadership training Put back into force short courses on production methods, especially organic and sustainable.
B. Programs - Hands-on Learning Additional Internship opportunities Hands On Training, Pass EIT/FE before graduation, mandatory internships. We need more internship opportunities for students. I find that most college grads have a basic understanding of bird health but very little knowledge of poultry processing. More Internships so that students can get an idea of what it is really like to work for a living. UGA students seem unable to get their hands dirty. More on job training/internships perhaps at 2 different locations during 4 years college
Business courses - how to make a profit- common sense business classes - the need for ETHICS in business Make the internship program REAL. More hands-on technical training. More basic mgr/leadership training.

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Responses Provided by Survey Participants to Question About Changes in Degrees and Curricula to Improve Responsiveness
Instill the desire to sweat and earn a honest living
To encourage students to get the most diversity and training not in classroom but real world experience.
On-site Training; Co-op Program Requirement
More hands on experience. Most people have never had a job when they graduate from college and we find this generation lazy.
More hands on experience rather than so much technical book learning.
More on farm training at the top facilities in Georgia. Taking Ag and Vet students out to actual good working farms.
Credit for on the job training (internships) and less emphasis for core curriculum.
more industrial type maintenance and PLC training
C. Programs - Skill Development
More people skills and problem solving skills. More business skills in the technical curriculum
More emphasis in skills training programs at local technical colleges D. Higher Education Structure
Most agricultural degrees in Georgia are obtained at UGA. Many students who desire to study agriculture don't meet the entrance requirements at UGA. Loosening entrance requirements for transfer students is helping. 4 year program at ABAC should help.
The 4 year degree being offered in Tifton is a very good example of the kind of support staff we need. Accept that agriculture really doesn't happen in Athens and get faculty out in the field. By the way agriculture is not within the city limits of Atlanta nor does it require knowledge of social programs.
More support to the land grant college of agriculture and establish each school as a center for expertise or a collective of expertise in a given area instead of a hodgepodge of academics without a common focus...e.g., Food Science
More Communication with farmers, agribusiness and advertising Make more ag related courses available at community college, i.e. Darton College.
E. Other, No recommendations, Not Applicable Our company is small; employees (current and future) are required to perform several manual labor-type duties. Our company philosophy requires hands-on labor to lend itself to improvement in management practices. Food security will become a major issue as more production goes off-shore. We should maintain our ability to grow our own food crops and not let the technology escape us.
The majority of our workforce does not require a college education, but the ability to be a laborer. Don't need a college degree.
Produce better and more school teachers. We are just on the fringes of Agribusiness. We manufacture blow molded plastic drums, fiber drums and Intermediate Bulk Containers that are used for a variety of industries. As it relates to Agribusiness, they are used for Agriculture Chemicals, liquid food ingredients, etc. Our needs are in Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Production Management, etc. Ours is a manufacturing plant and all the employees are sowers, so really they don't need to have a college degree as long as they have the skill to sow, but I am sure in a different field that would be very important. Thank you

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Responses Provided by Survey Participants to Question About Changes in Degrees and Curricula to Improve Responsiveness
We are a farm. I (managing partner) have a college degree in accounting. I do use this knowledge in my business. But: all employees are seasonal or part time. I don't see this changing in the future. A college degree is not important in hiring employees.
Our Industry requires semi skilled blue collar workers. Welding, basic mechanical work, painting. You can't get college grads to do this kind of work for this level of pay.
We are an in-ground tree farm. What we need is an easier way to keep and maintain our Hispanic work force.
The turnover at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter for college graduate level jobs is extremely low- The GNFA is a facility rental state facility- we host events from agricultural to wedding receptions- our mission is to provide a first-class venue for competitions, entertainment, exhibitions, expositions meetings, and trade shows and to show case Georgia and Agriculture/Agribusiness- one of our top priorities is to promote the agricultural achievements of Georgia`s young people- (4-H/FFA GNFA also hold the Georgia national fair each year in October.
This is captured in the answering of question 7 None-Not Applicable with my company
I don't know that I would change anything
Current Degrees Ok None
None
Not familiar enough with degrees and curricula to make reasoned recommendation.
Not Sure
Not sure
not sure
unknown - we mostly hire engineers

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Appendix K:
List of Additional Workforce Issues to be Considered by the USG in Responding to Agribusiness Workforce Needs
Please use this space to discuss any additional workforce issues that ought to be considered in ensuring that the University System of Georgia can respond effectively to the workforce needs of the agribusiness industry.

Answer Options

answered question skipped question

Response Count 39 39 161

Response Text
A. Industry and Labor Market Changes
Bio Fuel Information On the Job training is provided. Salary does not attract college-degree applicants. Finding a physical labor workforce is nearly impossible. Technical training for everyday working people is needed. Set realistic expectations for graduates on pay scales
80% to 90% of our workforce does not need a college education. We tend to forget that other than management in the ag section the people that are on the ground and doing the work are slowly being eliminated. We will close the company when this happens
Personal development in getting along with people and maintain a strong work ethic. It is not an 8 to 5 world.
I am a relatively small operation not needing large numbers of workers with college degrees. The Horticulture industry is growing and will have a need for skilled employees in the future. So many of the horticulture businesses are like me; one, two, or three skilled people and the majority of the workforce unskilled.
Faculty is creating false expectation as to the value of holding a degree - it is like a sticker on a suit case in that it tells me where you have been, but not where you are going. Maybe as an option. The market is changing rapidly. A course in self insured market planning for retirement for those of us with smaller companies. We might have a shot at some larger caliber players if they had additional nontraditional options. The greatest challenge is not the college educated employee, but the uneducated mass of workers that are poorly served by the local school systems and maybe indirectly by the University System.
B. Partnerships and Placement More regular ongoing communications between the field work management site officials and the developers/managers of the college curriculum programs.
Better access to the top performing students, one semester prior to graduation.

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Response Text
C. Program Design and Curriculum Needs
The majority of the available positions in the poultry industry are in the processing area. While the class load spends most of the time dealing with bird development.
finding persons with an actual farm/rural environment with the ag course work to go along with the degree
Graduate students with a work ethic and useable skills
UGA needs to better define Bio and Ag Engineering Degree and correlation with business needs
Help students understand what they will encounter when entering the job force - culture, pay, work expectations, ability to apply classroom knowledge to job, etc..
we are desperate for college educated farm managers who are forward thinking, excellent in people management and have good organizational and multi tasking skills. An ability to speak Spanish would be a major plus. A farm manager also needs mechanical skills for operating and servicing equipment. I have personally solicited EVERY Agriculture University/College in the Nation seeking a farm manager with an ag degree or an ag degree student interested in produce marketing. I had 2 applicants from CA, neither were interested in a job or a paid internship in GA.
At Company A we have but two full time employees- we have about 185 head of beef cattle on the place now. Both employees are 41 years old- 1 graduated in Animal Science at UGA in 1990- he's been on the farm since he was 14 (his faster was my 1st manager) The 2nd ran a cattle farm in west Georgia for 4-5 years and has been with us for nine years. I say all this as background in answering some of your questions- certainly I feel blessed to have two very capable folks working with melooking down the road I think character is the most single attribute for my operation- certainly knowledge is important but I believe we all need to know more about "business" and what makes some successful and others less so- High Ethical Standards are still needed even in this hi tech computer age- but as anyone can see we, in our society, are losing this important item- I'm not sure you can teach it like say math- but without it- it would be difficult to succeed.
Speak and understand Spanish
Work ethic, timeliness, initiative are extremely important in the poultry business. Respect is earned and is not an entitlement of a degree.
Need more opportunities for graduates to have real world experiences as fewer and fewer have farm backgrounds.
The graduates need hands on practical ag experience. they need to know how to run machinery or be able to. They need to know the ins and outs of working livestock. The technical knowledge are (sic) great but they need to be prepared for more than just a job with the Extension Service or teaching. Language skills especially Spanish Working Knowledge
Undergraduates need some industry experience during their educational program either part-time job or internships. Communication and computer skills are a must. As a consultant we come in contact with many jobs which need college graduates with defined skills in actual processing applications but little or no training is available for students to receive this type of skill. Governmental regulation is a must for the food industry.
Specific training in both wholesale and retail farm supply marketing and business operations. In Georgia today there is a need for students in Ag to be better educated in the both the retail farm supply business, and the wholesale aspects of agribusiness.

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Response Text
D. Program Design and Curriculum Needs
Not all positions require a 4 year technical degree. A good two year degree in basic subjects (math, English, people skills, scheduling, problem solving, teams, etc). would satisfy 75% of our labor requirements
add a comprehensive engineering program to include chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering
We just need more graduates with degrees in agriculture and related fields.
E. Higher Education Structure
More classes around the state in different locations
Personally I feel UGA is a lost cause and we should direct our efforts to a program that creates interactions between ABAC, Fort Valley and Tifton Center to create the Agriculture and Mechanical College of Georgia. UGA can then concentrate on being the social and sports educational center for the state.
Combine training available at technical colleges and UGA and ABAC and Fort Valley State degree programs with intern programs so that the graduate understands theory, technology, and applied technology in real world settings. Many applicants today don't have rural ag backgrounds and you can't assume they have farming 101 as in the past.
F. Other Responses
Georgia Ag WILL FLOP without migrant workers. We must have a guest worker plan in place that is affordable or we need to back off of harassing the current work force (migrants of course) that is currently in GA.
Probably the GA Cooperative Council is not the type firm your workforce needs assessment is oriented to. The council is a support organization for cooperative in the state to assist them in providing education of cooperatives in the state and on leadership skills to youth and cooperative couples through a conference each year for each of these groups
The media has done a poor job in getting accurate information out regarding drought causes and effects and its relationship to agribusiness. There is a critical need to blanket the public with not only updated information , but change the public`s perception about resource management specifically water. EXAMPLE: Less than 2 years ago, condensate from AC units & gutter downspout were perceived to cause moisture related "problems" like foundation settlement and mold related "sick house syndrome". Today we need to be focusing on the harvest of this valuable moisture to ease drought conditions.
G. None/No Comments/Not Sure
No Comment
None
Not sure

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