Future Sparks Lead to Success

Written by: Alexis Haas

Throughout most of our schooling careers we take classes that will enhance us as students. Everybody takes these classes with the main objective to succeed in the future. Being an active member within the FFA or agricultural department you can be opened to many future work paths. These industry beginners are all within the agricultural field, especially leadership and management positions. The classes that San Luis Obispo High School offer are Agricultural Speech and Communications, Ag Leadership, and Ag Sales and Marketing. Each of these courses are focused on each aspect of Agricultural Business, which is leadership oriented.

Multiple members from our FFA chapter learning new skills at State Conference.

The first job opportunity for the future is Farm Business Manager / Accountant. During this job you are incharge of managing a farm company’s finances. They also analyze and report the money aspect to outlook the wellbeing of the company. If you are doing the accounting aspect, the main goal is confirming the yearly budgets and making sure each month the goal is being hit. During the process of this job you need all aspects of leadership. You are managing finances for a farming company, making sure everybody else is hitting personal goals, and have to be able to report your analyzations every week / month / year.

Becoming an Agricultural Lawyer is a huge management position. While assisting in the preserving of farms for generations to come, developing knowledge on agricultural issues, and providing guidance for farming companies on the future you will have your hands full. When you are a main source for farmers on labor and employment laws you will need to understand each aspect of the laws and be able to argue these in court of a company or farmer hires you as their lawyer. Agricultural lawyers can understand each law but they also assist people in implementing federal farm policy as they apply within the state. This involves being an active speaker and participant within the agricultural community.

The 2017-2018 CA State Officer team

 Farm Supervisor is one of the most hands on active jobs. When somebody becomes a farm supervisor they are not only incharge of the labor workers but also the who crop. When you supervising you must understand crop profit and the farm profitability. These include how much your produce will profit and the amount per square foot you are getting for your farm. While you are leading you must do the necessary cleaning tasks such as checking sprinklers, picking up left produce, and knowing how load bins. Overall all these jobs that must be finished as supervisor can be taught throughout ag sales and marketing and ag leadership. The 2017-2018 CA State FFA Officer team currently includes majors ranging from Bioresource and Ag Engineering, Ag Leadership and Ag Business to Ag Policy and Ag Communications. 

Having leadership abilities is very beneficial for future experiences. When you can apply your leadership abilities to something such as agriculture you can narrow down jobs and choices that are specific. The three options that I have suggested are Farm Business Manager / Accountant, Agricultural Lawyer, and Farm supervisor. None of these job titles are similar because each has their own component to becoming important or full of success. Remember whenever you are wondering the benefit to ag leadership oriented classes that one of these jobs could be for you.

Thank you to Christine Ready for the pictures of Luke O’Leary! 

Fourty-five members recently attended the State FFA Conference in Anaheim.