Boost in enrollment of Agriculture Business Management and Sustainable Agriculture programs reflect changing landscape of farming

IAA Sustainable Agriculture student Lindsay Barranco sells her honey at a local Fall Harvest Festival at Kinder Farm Park in Anne Arundel County. In addition, she provides an educational display on honeybees in the observation hive on the table behind her

Image Credit: Lindsay Barranco

October 10, 2014

Working the land is symbolic of American history. It’s pure Americana. But the complexities of running an iconic business today means infusing biotechnology, principles of ecology, and savvy business strategies among many other operational understandings. And, these complexities are changing the landscape of farming and creating a need for more formal education.

Meredith Epstein, Instructor and Advisor of Sustainable Agriculture and Agriculture Business Management at the Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) at the University of Maryland claims a crisis in farming has been brewing for several decades. “As the socio-economic status of traditional farming pushed farming out of fashion, the average age of the American farmer has now increased to 62 years,” states Epstein.  “This aging trend means fewer veteran farmers.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics supports Epstein’s comment citing a 19% decline in the employment of farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers though the year 2022 painting a grim and decaying picture of farming in America

But Epstein reports that on the horizon, a new generation is emerging, reclaiming and advancing the back-to-the-land ethic. Agribusiness to this new generation means making new connections between food, fiber, fuel, and recreation. Farming, particularly small and niche farming is gaining popularity.

Evidence of this renewed interest may be reflected in recent enrollment trends at The University of Maryland’s Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) programs in the Agricultural Business Management and Sustainable Agriculture programs.

IAA Director Glori Hyman says the Institute responded to the movement  “by encouraging students to explore alternative enterprises, niche markets, small-scale farming, environmentally friendly practices, and community and educational opportunities thus attracting a diverse student population.” The response has enrollment boasting a 45 % enrollment hike over last year in the Sustainable Agriculture program and 53 % rise in Agricultural Business Management program.

Epstein agrees the increased enrollment directly reflects the food movement and a shift back to smaller-scale farming, as well as the emergence of second career farmers. “The one place we have seen growth in the number of farmers recently is in small farms that utilize direct-marketing,” says Epstein.

Lindsay Barranco of Anne Arundel County and an IAA Sustainable Agriculture student came to the IAA looking for a career change. “When I entered the program I was hoping to find what would be of interest to me since I was changing careers and was searching for something that would match what I was looking to do at this point in my life. I was a lawyer and mediator for many years, but have had a long-standing interest in agriculture.” 

With a goal of owning a small diversified farm, Barranco is now expanding her bee colonies business and moving her honey production into larger markets.  Barranco says IAA’s Sustainable Agriculture program is a good fit for her new career ambitions. “I like that there are courses covering the business aspects of farming (i.e. Agricultural marketing) as well as the practical work (i.e. Agricultural mechanics – learning to weld, working on tractors and machinery).”Another reason for enrollment increase may be attributed to shifts in framing’s business culture along with technological and scientific advancements occurring in agribusiness. “These knowledge domains are pressing the need for formal education in many farming-related occupations,” claims Epstein.  

Formal classroom education coupled with hands-on experience creates the cornerstone of IAA curriculums. IAA Director Glori Hyman states, “Students who enter our programs may range from having no hands-on experience to being a full-time generational farmer. We specialize in a variety of programs to help students acquire the tools and knowledge to be successful not only in agriculture, but in the business and innovations associated with agriculture.”

“Small farms are considered the new wave of a decentralized mode of agriculture,” says Epstein.  Epstein herself is part of this movement. Working for the IAA during the day and experimenting and planning for her own farming business by night and weekends, she and her husband exemplify the newcomers on the farming scene. But whether ambitions are to run a small niche farm or a large farm, Epstein asserts, “We (veteran and new farmers) are all tied together, by common goals and challenges placed on today’s farmer.

 

The Institute of Applied Agriculture (IAA) at the University of Maryland offers a range of green industry programs with an applied agriculture focus. Students studying Agricultural Business Management may also choose to focus on Sustainable Agriculture.