From the Field is a bi-monthly column written by Mark
Campbell, Farm Bureau Field Services Director for the Central District. He
writes about Farm Bureau member benefits and County Farm Bureau activities.
I’m
sure you are familiar with career fairs, but how about one specifically for
agriculture careers?
On
April 20, more than 350 FFA students from middle and high schools came to the
Rockingham County Fairgrounds to learn more about career opportunities. Counties represented were Augusta, Botetourt,
Clarke, Highland, Frederick, Page, Rockbridge, Rockingham, and Shenandoah. The students were able to speak with
agribusinesses and organizations in order to determine which sector of
agriculture they would like a career.
Lord
Fairfax Community College, Dabney Lancaster Community College, and Blue Ridge
Community College were present with guidance and career counselors to help the
students find a field that suited them.
Dana
Fisher, former agriculture teacher and now District Field Services Director for
Virginia Farm Bureau, coordinated the event.
He reached out to 4-H, Virginia Agribusiness Council and of course Farm
Bureau to provide resources for the event.
VFB
had a significant presence representing numerous facets of the agriculture
industry and showcasing our Young Farmer program. Several Rockingham County Farm Bureau
producer members were on hand to meet and speak with the next generation of
agriculturalists. The VFB exhibit also
had a “selfie” area where students wrote down what they thought what Farm
Bureau was and took their picture in front of a large background of a farming
scene. While at the VFB exhibit, we encouraged
their FFA chapters to participate in a membership recruitment contest to win
some Milwaukee and Dewalt power tools.
The
students at this career fair were genuinely interested in being there, which
was great to see in comparison to some other career fairs that I have attended
were the students were more interested in having free time and visiting with
friends.
FFA
and 4-H always provide hope and promise of a bright future for
agriculture. Sometimes we can get a
little pessimistic in the ag industry about how we are a smaller percentage of
the population. But if you get around
some FFA and 4-H kids, your mood will soon be lifted to optimism. However, we in the ag industry do need to
provide encouragement and stepping stones for the upcoming generation and this agriculture
career fair was one way that we enjoyed doing that.
Until
next time,
Mark
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