Agribusiness

A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Agribusiness from the University of Idaho provides a strong understanding of the operations of companies that produce and distribute agricultural goods and services. 

You'll develop practical business skills to manage people and make effective decisions in agriculture and the food industry, and you’ll graduate prepared to work in a variety of leadership positions in agriculturally related businesses.

As an agribusiness major, you’ll learn from experienced professors involved in today’s most pressing issues for agribusiness. You will practice commodities trading, immerse yourself in policymaking during a field trip to the state capital, and role-play adversaries in natural resource disputes. 

In your senior year you will draw on everything you’ve learned to assess an issue and present the findings to a real-world client. A recent group of seniors found ways for HomeGrown Poultry to minimize waste by marketing poultry byproducts. Our seniors have also worked with the J. R. Simplot Company and local companies like McGregors, and Litehouse Foods.

Students also have opportunities to complete internship with businesses or in a legislative office.

Prepare for Success

The agribusiness major is a good fit if you can see yourself:

• Taking a hands-on approach to understanding, managing and motivating people.
• Applying your knowledge of business and agriculture to make decisions about production processes and marketing strategies.
• Using strong communication and leadership skills to work in teams that may include accountants, plant scientists, animal scientists, environmental scientists, engineers and policymakers.

• Participate in 4-H or FFA activities, volunteer at a county fair, help raise livestock or work for a farm or ranch.
• Practice your leadership skills in student office.
• Pay attention to current business and agriculture issues in the news.

Your First Year

Your first year, you will learn communication skills with classes in writing, rhetoric and public speaking. You will also enroll in classes with an overview of the business in agriculture and principles of economics.

More advanced courses in the major include farm and agribusiness management, agricultural markets and prices and  business law.

See the four-year plan.

What You Can Do

With a degree in agribusiness, you may become a:

• Marketing director: Make decisions about your company’s marketing strategies and advertising.
• Production manager: Manage the operations and production of an agribusiness firm.
• Farm manager: Manage part or all of large farming or ranching operations.
• Business owner: Direct all operations of a farm, ranch or other agribusinesses.
• Analyst: Gather and interpret data to support decision making for an agribusiness organization, including lobbing efforts.
• Sales representative: Help other businesses achieve their goals by selling products and services that benefit them the most.
• Appraiser: Determine the market value of land for a financial institution or governmental agency.
• Buyer: Negotiate the acquisition of farm product for a processing company.

Opportunities

Nearly all of our graduates receive job offers upon graduation with starting salaries of up to $45,000. They work in business, for government and for nonprofit organizations. You may also choose to continue your education by earning an advanced degree in business, finance, law or agricultural economics.

Current Research

University of Idaho faculty members are widely recognized for their teaching and research efforts in agribusiness. Recent topics include:

• The contributions of immigrant farm workers to agricultural production.
• Consumer attitudes toward food attributes like eco-labels, local, etc.
• Organic potato production and marketing
• Dairy business management
• Risk management strategies for Pacific Northwest grain producers

Activities

Agribusiness Club: Meet business leaders and potential employers, learn about internships, and get help developing your resume and improving your interviewing skills. Help organize the club’s annual golf tournament, test your economics IQ in the national Quiz Bowl competition and take field trips to regional agribusiness firms.
Agricultural Student Affairs Council: Become a student leader.
American Agricultural Economics Association: Join the student chapter; attend national meetings and recruitment fairs. Participate in the National Food Marketing Challenge.

Hands-On Experience

Intern. Many of our students complete an internship the summer between their junior and senior years, earning 1 to 6 credits. They work for businesses in the food industry and in legislative offices. Below are examples of internship opportunities: 

• Farm credit services: Analyze data to determine the financial performance of farmers seeking loans.
• U.S. Congress: Conduct policy research as a legislative intern in Washington, D.C.
• Livestock Marketing Information Center: Apply new decision-making tools to determine the most efficient way to get products to buyers.

• Peru: Shadow a pepper production and marketing company.
• Taiwan: Understand international trade from a new perspective.
• New Zealand: Observe different types of agriculture.

Faculty Involvement

Regardless of what emphasis area you choose, you’ll benefit from direct interaction with faculty and instructors who genuinely care about your success. As an undergrad, you’ll also have significant opportunities to participate in professional development activities, such as clubs, internships, and field trips all of which include significant interaction with department faculty. You will be assigned one of our faculty to be your adviser, and because our department is not too big, you are ensured of getting to know many of the faculty quite well before you graduate.

Stephen Devadoss
Professor

(208) 885-6806 | sdevadoss@uidaho.edu
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Levan Elbakidze
Assistant Professor

(208) 885-7382 | lelbakidze@uidaho.edu
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John Foltz
Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Professor

(208) 885-7984 | jfoltz@uidaho.edu
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C. Wilson Gray
District Extension Economist, Extension Professor

(208) 736-3622 | wgray@uidaho.edu
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Joseph F. Guenthner
Extension Economist, Professor

(208) 885-6056 | jguenthn@uidaho.edu
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Aaron Johnson
Associate Professor

(208) 885-5489 | aaronj@uidaho.edu
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Paul A. Lewin
Extension Specialist, Assistant Professor

(208) 885-6048 | plewin@uidaho.edu
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Larry D. Makus
Professor

(208) 885-6037 | lmakus@uidaho.edu
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Christopher S. McIntosh
Professor

(208) 589-4485 | mcintosh@uidaho.edu
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Paul E. Patterson
District Extension Economist, Extension Professor

(208) 529-8376 | pattersn@uidaho.edu
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Neil R. Rimbey
Extension Range Economist, Professor

(208) 454-6566 | nrimbey@uidaho.edu
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Cathy A. Roheim
Department Head, Professor

(208) 885-7869 | croheim@uidaho.edu
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Garth Taylor
Regional Economist, Associate Professor

(208)-885-7533 | gtaylor@uidaho.edu
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Philip Watson
Assistant Professor

(208) 885-6934 | pwatson@uidaho.edu
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