Although there are impressive innovations in agriculture and food (agri-food), the industry has not attracted a lot of attention from young professionals. Many people are missing the opportunity to consider the exciting benefits of a career in agri-food for both its personal and financial rewards. Pursuing a career in agri-food can fulfill many different personal visions and expectations. For people with an agricultural background, they may be enthusiastic to use their skills to run the family farm business. People from non-farm backgrounds are also satisfied by the community gains from an agricultural career such as:

• Support for local agriculture
• Protecting local farmland
• Feeding a growing population
• Energizing the economy.

Additional personal benefits may include working outdoors in the sun and fresh air and learning about our connectedness to nature through food production. Agriculture does not look like a professional career even though producing food is an incredible responsibility. When asked to think about professional careers, most people will name doctors and lawyers. Professional careers are defined by the need for education and training to have the knowledge and skills to work in a certain profession. It is true that in order to succeed in agriculture a person must be a professional. They are also expected to have strict moral standards to uphold the safety of the food they produce, which is an important responsibility. Professionals in this field are most certainly not ‘rednecks’ or ‘hicks’. The level of sophistication required to manage the complexity of decisions and risks in agriculture is vast. Employers put a strong emphasis on “life long learning” and are prepared to invest considerable resources in their employees. It is a culture of continuous learning and improvement. This current perception of “redneck” agriculture is understandably not an appealing lifestyle. Young kids and students who are looking for professional careers often don’t see past the stigma to realize that agricultural production can be, “a $20-million or $30-million business, depending on its size.” People in agri-food careers need skills, education and professional demeanor.