Business Training Needs of Animal Sciences Students

SURVEYS show that approximately 45% of the bachelor degree graduates of mid-western colleges of agriculture will be in business or working for a business firm 5 years following graduation (Wessels, 1968, 1969). An additional 12% become owner operators or managers of farms. Farming today requires just as much business management skill as other agribusiness enterprises. Thus, about 55 to 60% of all agriculture graduates can be expected to be closely involved with business and dependent on it for their major source of income. A recent survey by Newman (1971) revealed that 60% of Purdue University B.S. graduates in agriculture were in business including farming. Of the Animal Sciences graduates (majors), 20.4% were farming and 33.3% in business for a total of 53.7%. A review of Purdue University advanced degree (M.S. and Ph.D) graduates in animal sciences indicates that 25 to 30% of them become employed by business firms (Newman, 1970). In 1968 to 1970, 25% of Purdue's Ph.D.'s in animal sciences were employed in industry, and 48% were employed by universities.